Civil Society in Cuba?

Civil Society in Cuba?
February 11, 2016
By Alejandro Armengol

HAVANA TIMES — Cuban-American dissidents, activists and legislators
continue to make contradictory statements which the press eats up and
amplifies without questioning: they speak of strengthening or fostering
Cuban civil society while referring to the regime's totalitarian nature,
calling the changes implemented mere "cosmetic" touchups.

If there's a totalitarian regime on the island – and on the one hand
there's little to suggest this is not the case – there's little hope of
developing said civil society, which would rather be one of the tasks
required to rebuild the country following a transition. This is what
history teaches us: there was no civil society in the Soviet Union or in
Nazi Germany.

If we regard the situation from a different perspective, and acknowledge
a slight change on the island, from a totalitarian to an authoritarian
regime, where certain parcels of autonomy – granted by the government or
secured circumstantially – allow for independent development, then we
must be more precise in our pronouncements, to avoid repeating empty
phrases.

The mantra of civil society serves to legitimate the most diverse
interests and aspirations. Invoking Cuban civil society has become a fad
or a means to get points politically. Beyond a discussion about the
concept, however, it would be worthwhile to analyze what progress is
being made by tactics seeking to establish this type of society under
Cuba's current conditions and to venture a guess as to its future.

The fundamental problem is that totalitarianism, by definition, implies
the complete absorption of civil society by the State. This happened in
Cuba, where so-called "mass organizations", and the satellites around
them, were for decades proudly defined as mere driving belts for Party
"orientations."

This hasn't prevented them from shamelessly demanding a civic role and
even aspiring to be acknowledged – and financed from abroad – as
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Though they now wish to sell
themselves with son music for tourists, they are still the same puppets
they were when they were first created in the likeness of Soviet
institutions.

If the Cuban regime's attempt to get on the civil society train is
rather clumsy, the US government and those it supports as dissident
organizations haven't shown much originality either.

Before all else, because it is not a novel initiative. Such efforts
first emerged in East Europe, where repressive regimes similar to the
Soviet Union, though not as absolutist, existed, when dissidents in
those countries began to speak of the possibility of reestablishing
democracy through the resurfacing of civil society.

In practice, such a society was never established and did not have a
fundamental role in the disappearance of "real socialism." Opposition
movements were short lived: some spent a fleeting moment in government
and went on to live in nostalgia, as well as to raise false hopes.

Cuba has seen a long string of attempts to import foreign models. Down
the road of transition, many espouse the fallacy that there are
political constants in such processes and neglect to analyze specific
circumstances.

Over and above such considerations, there is the noteworthy fact that
some of those calling for the "empowerment of civil society" refuse at
the same time to devote greater resources to the development of what
could be essential or at least important factors: the promotion of
private businesses, support for private initiative and other processes
that would aid in economic reforms.

We have two different – and sometimes contradictory – conceptions of a
potential civil society in Cuba. One emphasizes the political dimension
and underscores the existence of groups devoted to reporting government
abuses, organizations that, in good measure, justify their existence
through a rhetoric of victimization and rely on financing from
Washington and Miami to operate. The other points to the economic
dimension and sees the emergence of a labor sphere independent of the
government as the foundation needed for a more open society.

In both cases, limitations far outweigh current achievements.

As long as the promotion of Cuban civil society by dissidents does not
break out of the discourse of Miami-based groups and fails to underscore
the needs of the population, both its scope and goals will be extremely
limited.

On the other hand, the emergence of a reduced private sector in a
society with extreme degrees of State control does not guarantee a
future of independence from the government, as people continue to be
dependent on the government to maintain their new labor status and for
something as simple as walking down the street.

We are therefore left with a fundamental limitation which the
establishment of a genuine civil society would seek to eliminate: the
maintenance of double standards, where public hypocrisy constitutes one
of the regime's main survival mechanisms.

Published originally in Spanish by cubaencuentro.com

Source: Civil Society in Cuba? - Havana Times.org -
http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=116727