ABSTRACT
The demise of the Socialist Bloc led to a drastic drop in the subsidies received by Cuba. The state had to immediately implement various reforms, and society had to cope. Shortages of imported resources affected all aspects of Cuban life, from transport to health. Resource availability dwindled at varying speeds – depending on how much of the resource had been stockpiled, or was made a priority for importing, or could easily be substituted for. For many months, rolling into years, the situation was grim and frustrating. This was not simply because the low resource levels were grinding systems almost to a halt. Cuban society had been accustomed to the affluent years of the 1980s, the population was highly educated and there was a strong work ethic. Suddenly, they became ineffective. Transport was particularly hard hit, as available oil was prioritized instead for electricity generation. The number of buses in Havana dropped from 2500 to just 500, and it could take four hours to get to work by public transport. Paper ran out, so journals ceased publication. Because of the state planning and management system, structures and processes were not in place to support individual efforts to address and resolve challenges. The day-to-day struggles of Cuban society during the early years of the crisis have been little documented; to a large extent these experiences are of a national personal nature and not the business of the outside world, although Cubans are happy to chat about it anecdotally, and no doubt reflective, first-hand accounts will ensue.
