ABSTRACT
From the very outset of Cuban Communism, predictions of its demise were made–sometimes quietly, and at other times as a crescendo of self-declared expertise. In some measure such predictive extremes between the reality of the mundane and the utopia of the fantastic, were a reflection of the passions the Castro era has generated in his people. Hope replaced reason and passion displaced evidence. One of the grand luxuries of wealthy and large nations is their ability to develop a division of policy labors. Cuba during 44 years of Communism has proven woefully unable to break the shackles of a single-crop economy. It has continued to rely on one crop, sugar, to supply other requirements for the society. As an indicator of how deeply global events have disrupted the national economy, one needs look at the Venezuela coup and counter-coup.
