Fifty Years of Cuban Development: A Documentary Journey
Dive into a compelling documentary capturing over four decades of Cuba's social and economic evolution, highlighting the impact of outside financing, healthcare exports, black market dynamics, and the socialist experiment. Witness firsthand accounts, reflections on socialism's reach, and encounters with key figures like Fidel Castro, providing a unique perspective on Cuba's development trajectory.
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Fifty years of Cuban Development: on film and by the numbers.. NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO, CASE STUDY PRESENTATION ECON 3235 ECONOMICS OF LATIN AMERICA FALL 2017
Summary (added by dlm in 2018, why?) Cuba succeeded when it how extensive outside finance Doctors services are a major export (Colombia, Bolivia, Uganda ) but salaries are not completive (see Jon Alpert s documentary gives a very interesting portrait of Cuba over 50 years Extensive black market for dollars: the dollar was only legalized in Cuba in the 1993 Private sector financed by Remittances? (not sure Viera, 2017 Bard thesis)? 2 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
through a New York filmmakers eyesDocumentary now on Netflix by Jon Alpert: New Yorker who wants free medical care visits Cuban experiment in the 1970s see Alpert, 2017 on Netflix as of Nov 24th http://www.imdb.com/title/tt7320560/ 3 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
A remarkable documentary captures over 45 years of Cuban development: What next? Our New York guide: We heard Fidel was implementing the same social reforms we were fighting for in New York (John Alpert 4.50) visited the same 3-4 families (and Fidel of course) Over 40 years ending in 2016 just before Fidel Castro died Socialism flourished but only with outside aid, how do he know? Alpert always checks his hosts refrigerator!! Now dollars have created a thriving black market ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsZ8hDutkeM 4 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
A remarkable documentary shows of 40 years What s next for Cuba? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsZ8hDutkeM Why was this did Alpert made? We heard Fidel was implementing the same social reforms we were fighting for in New York (John Alpert 4.50) Why did the director return so many times? Socialism impact? Black Market? 5 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
First few visits(1970-early 80s) Meets a farmer, Cristobel and his brothers Gregorio and Angel Meets a family(tracks daughter) Speaks to Castro State of economy 6 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
Castro at the UN(1983) (Cuba and the Cameraman 25.46) I speak for the children of the world who don t even have a piece of bread (Castro 25.46) 7 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
Came with Castro to NYC in 1983 Alpert only American on the plane Security tight in New York Castro gave a speech at UN Quotes Castro joking about 1stact if he was Mayor NYC: I would resign 8 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
Mariel Boatlift and its Impacts Today Mass exodus of people Anger with those trying to leave Why leave? Who left? Huge effect on remittances as family members send money from US back to relatives in Cuba, fueling a black market. ND 9 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
Remittances Up until the 1990s remittances had a very limited impact in the Cuban economy (Viera 20) Since the disappearance of the Soviet bloc to the end of the 1990s, the average real wage for Cubans in the state sector dramatically declined (Viera 27) 63 percent of the families in the highest income bracket are remittance- receivers, while these transfers extend to only 5 percent of those in the lowest end of the income distribution (Viera 27) Extremely interesting statistic ND 10 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
Fall of the Soviet Union Castro s response Effect on economy and resources in Cuba Wage effects See Previous graphs showcasing the sharp decline in the per capita income as a share of $USD. ND Shows economy was propped up by Soviets (Figures P-7 and P-8) ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017 11
Examination of Wages throughout Alpert s various trips(1990-2016) Farmer Doctor Salesmen at the tourist market Mechanical and Chemical Engineers Black Market: the dollar was only legalized in Cuba in the 1993 Private sector financed by Remittances? ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017 12
Personal Favorite- Healthcare Socialized medicine was talking point for Cuba All hospitals and healthcare free for use Hospital equipment- from the 60s Quality of care- very poor ?? Overall, was it an effective system? No. 13 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
Doctors would earn as little as 25 dollars a week in this system of socialized medicine. (Cuba and the Cameraman 1.27.35) ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017 14
Cuban GDP 2000-2016 Note: The statistics were gathered directly from the Cuban government. Seeing as they have been unreliable reporters in the past, these statistics should be taken with a grain of salt. However, they may be useful. ND Source?? 15 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
Cuba and Peers 16 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
Cuba & Mexico & Puerto Rico peers in 1985 Cuba peers in early 1980s Cuba and its Peers according to Heston et a PWt l(2011) 17 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
Citations and Further Reading Alpert, Jon (2017) Cuba and the Cameraman Director Netflix.com, 24 Nov. 2017, www.netflix.com/watch/80126449?trackId=13752289&tctx=0%2C0%2C78758db9- 70cc-4ca7-9f83-9ba19d6dc54e-5293487. Armenda riz, Beatriz & Felipe Larrai n or A&L (2017) The Economics of Contemporary Latin America. MIT Press, Vidal, Pavel and Scott Brown (2017) Cuba s Economic Reintegration: begin with the IFIs http://publications.atlanticcouncil.org/uscuba// Viera, Oscar Valdes (2017) "Remittance Securitization as an Alternative Source of Finance for Cuba" Masters of Science in Economic Theory and Policy. 6, Levy Institute, Bard College. https://digitalcommons.bard.edu/levy_ms/6 Mejia, Sebastian et al Revisiting the Potential Impact to the Rest of the Caribbean from Opening US-Cuba Touris 18 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
Summary (added by dlm in 2018, why?) Cuba succeeded when it how extensive outside finance Doctors services are a major export (Colombia, Bolivia, Uganda ) but salaries are not completive (see Jon Alpert s documentary gives a very interesting portrait of Cuba over 50 years Extensive black market for dollars: the dollar was only legalized in Cuba in the 1993 Private sector financed by Remittances? (not sure Viera, 2017 Bard thesis)? 19 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
Cuban exports 2015 Cuban exports still consist of mainly agricultural good, just like during the export-led growth period (A&L 49-50) ND ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017 20
Cuba Exports 2016 Tourism? 21 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
Conclusions (added for in 2018) Cuba succeeded when it how extensive outside finance Doctors services are a major export (Colombia, Bolivia, Uganda ) but salaries are not completive (see Salesmen at the tourist market Extensive black market for dollars: the dollar was only legalized in Cuba in the 1993 Private sector financed by Remittances? (not sure Bard thesis)? 22 ECON3235 NICHOLAS DIBARTOLO CUBA FALL2017
