ABSTRACT
The state sector and the central plan define the contours of Cuba's first, or official, economy. While some private economic activities outside of the first economy are permitted, there is a high degree of state regulation, with a broad range of activities regarded by the penal code as economic crimes. Nationalization of private property and changes in economic organization resulted in the transfer of many offenses from common crimes to political crimes. While parallel markets provide a means for Cuban consumers to expand the basket of goods they can purchase legally beyond the limits set by the ration system, they have been subject to popular criticism for the very high prices that prevail. In fact, in the late 1960s, the labor market was so tight that acute labor shortages developed in the agricultural sector and Cuba had to resort to worker mobilizations and other techniques to attract a sufficient number of workers to harvest crops.
