We Are Cuba!: How a Revolutionary People Have Survived in a Post-Soviet World

by Helen Yaffe

The extraordinary account of the Cuban people’s struggle for survival in a post-Soviet world

In the aftermath of the fall of the Soviet Union, Cuba faced the start of a crisis that decimated its economy. Helen Yaffe examines the astonishing developments that took place during and beyond this period. Drawing on archival research and interviews with Cuban leaders, thinkers, and activists, this book tells for the first time the remarkable story of how Cuba survived while the rest of the Soviet bloc crumbled.
 
Yaffe shows how Cuba has been gradually introducing select market reforms. While the government claims that these are necessary to sustain its socialist system, many others believe they herald a return to capitalism. Examining key domestic initiatives including the creation of one of the world’s leading biotechnological industries, its energy revolution, and medical internationalism alongside recent economic reforms, Yaffe shows why the revolution will continue post-Castro.

This is a fresh, compelling account of Cuba’s socialist revolution and the challenges it faces today.

Genres: History, Politics, Nonfiction, Economics, Theory

380 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

Reviews

[Zach Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this is THE book about Cuba. Yaffe goes in tremendous detail to explain how Cuba has adapted to changing international and domestic environments, including the collapse of the Soviet Union and the crushing U.S. blockade. It clarified so much for me about the democratic process, the economics of Fidel, Raul, and Diaz-Canel, and the revolutionary resilience of the Cuban people. I'm finishing this book way more inspired and optimistic about Cuba Socialista's future than I was before.

[Akuji1993 · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I am done with this book. It's June, but Helen Yaffe's book has thus far very high chances of becoming my personal book of the year.

The book is about the struggle of the cuban people and their government to maintain, build on and expand the socialist society created after the 1959 revolution lead by Fidel Castro. In Chapters concentrating on different aspects of life on the small island, Yaffe explains how the society and its people have evolved from the 1960s to today. The book goes as far as recent changes like the new 2019 Constitution and the renewed US blockage of Cuban resources by the Trump Administration.

Reading this book you will learn, what has happened in the country for the last 60 years. You will learn how compassionate its leadership AND the people have been to keep the revolutionary spirit alive, to keep building and struggling for freedom that the United States (and most certainly other states) have tried to take away from them for the eniterity of their existence. You will see how, with no resources and no help from the Western world, against all odds, the cuban government has built a welfare state, that actually helps the people, brought electricity to the most rural areas, created a medical system that is today one of the best in the world. And they still had enough compassion to send their doctors to Africa, to South America and to nations across the globe to help them out as well.

The compassion and the will of the cuban people should be a great sign for anyone leaning left, that it is in fact possible to create a state for the people and by the people. Read this book. After that, the often heard argument "Socialism doesn't work" will be very easy to counter.

In order to make this an "official review", I'm going to name some pros and cons of the book. There are a lot more pros.

Pros:
- Helen Yaffe has taken a rather boring topic (political development of a nation) and made it fun to read. The book was not always easy to read and sometimes a good night's read was 10 pages. But it was so interesting to learn all of these facts that I kept going and going. Even if it took some time and concentration.
- My respect for the people of Cuba couldn't be higher. Looking at the last chapters I'm concerned about their future and so should you. As my country is a member of the EU, it should be on our agenda to come Cuba to aid, after it has done so for so many of us and especially the poor African and South American countries. It deserves our help.
- Reading all the chapters I feel very informed about a lot of topics of Cuban life. I have a clear picture of how things have progressed through the years and I'd love to read more and especially talk about it.
- What has stuck with me a lot, is the commentary on Che Guevaras economic philosophy. It wasn't a huge part of the book, but he seemed to support a vision that I can understand and share with him. I will probably read Helen Yaffe's book "Che Guevara: The Economics of Revolution" as well, to get a better picture.

I could really extend this to any length I wanted, but I will leave you with this. You want to learn about Cuba and how it has struggled and developed for the years after the Revolution? Read this book. There's no alternative.

Cons:
- Yaffe has used a LOT of numbers in this book. Sometimes I caught myself glossing over them, not really remembering them a few pages later. I'm a UX developer, so I'm a big Visualization nerd. A few charts, graphs, more tables could have done some work in this book and maybe would've kept more developmental numbers in my mind.
- I would've loved to read more about the Cuban electoral system. It gets referenced a lot in the book, I know there is a National Assembly and I have a rough idea how everything works, but having a dedicated chapter on it would've been amazing. I can understand though, why it's not there, it's not part of the goal this book follows. I will find something else that will fill that gap.

All in all, I will recommend this book to a lot of leftist friends and will probably re-read it when I'll ned some stronger arguments in debates. I enjoyed my time with this a lot and it's a great work by a great author. Thank you for this book Dr. Yaffe.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished it an hour or two before landing in Havana. Yaffe pulled off a tour de force, not in the activist way ("how well she defends the revolution!") but in a journalistic way too. She interviewed scores of government officials, economists, social workers, doctors, scientists, diplomats and even former president of Ecuador Rafael Correa to arrive at an evenhanded assessment of Cuba's resilience from the revolution to the Trump era. I underlined stuff on nearly every page. Two quick takeaways while finishing my watermelon juice:

- Cuba has pulled off social feats that can only be called superhuman. Improving life expectancy, employment and health indicators during a crisis that wiped out 25% of GDP. Sending out doctors to every corner on the world, even to countries that don't recognize Cuba, on a massive scale at ZERO cost to third world countries. Continuing to care for victims of Chernobyl well into the 2010's. Making remote towns self-sufficient in crops via the urban agriculture projects known as 'organoponicos'. All laws of economics, including marxian, would contradict this — first you build up the social wealth, then you allocate it. Under Guevara's plan this was all thrown out of the window: they took stock of the human wealth present and through mass mobilization transformed Cuban society into a genuinely socialist project. There's no other word for it, and Yaffe evokes very well the costs it took as well as the pride the people feel for it.

- On the other hand, Yaffe is very apprehensive towards market forces and the economic exigencies of the crisis years. In the last 2 chapters, she discusses with Cuban economists and students the direction the island is taking under Raoul Castro and Miguel Diaz-Canel. It quickly becomes clear they represent two social visions: one is the messianic Cuban socialist project as it is today, making vast sacrifices for the good of the world's oppressed and paying for it with a 2% yoy GDP growth, frequent crises and very little room for decentralized economic development. Existence is monotonous and perspectives dominated by the few very valuable goals of the plan, with no room for others. The Cuban economists seek to supplant this model with a market economy "to become more like Norway or Singapore", and it's difficult to blame them for it. Yaffe excoriates them for taking the road from which previous socialist experoments careened, but shows little understanding for the reasons why those societies took those roads.

More on this later. I could detract marks for an abondance of numbers but little proportionate analysis (it's only after 20 pages on green energy that we learn it contributes only 5% to the cuban energy mix). But it's simply superb.

[Nils Van Nieuwenhuyse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very important book that everyone who is concerned with the future that we want for our society. The achievements and difficulties of socialist Cuba are exposed in this book, and give a hopeful message about how a society can develop peacefully, justly and sustainably against all odds, using a socialist economy. Cuba has achieved so much with so few, is one of the most renowned countries that send international medical missions etc. This all within a system which is in many ways more democratic than the traditional parliamentary 'democratic' states in the West, with some restrictions on this parliamentary democracy due to obvious reasons such as US meddling and sabotage. In the meantime, Cubanese socialism still has massive popular support and has achieved staggering social achievements, despite some compromises with the capitalist world order. Furthermore, the island nation is by now the only country that has achieved a sustainable development for the climate.

Just imagine what our world could look like when all countries would become socialist like Cuba! An enormous amount of the difficulties that are holding the island back would be resolved, and it could without problems transform into a full socialist direct and participatory democracy, not only politically, but also economically. A poor country, blockaded, with barely natural resources, is able to provide all its citizens (and people abroad thanks to its medical internationalism!) a very decent standard of living, way better than other countries with a similar gdp per capita. Just imagine what a United socialist Europe or America could accomplish!

[layan ليان (hiatus)]

Idk if I’ve said it before, but death to Amerikkka.

[Rob M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would heartily recommend this book to anyone wishing to understand Cuban state and society as it understands itself. We Are Cuba is a refreshing antidote to the (misleading) historical narrative which places propagandising for social dissent ahead of explaining the actual functioning of real institutions.

Yaffe's basic (and rigorously justified) premise is that Cuba's state socialism has such broad and popular participation from its citizenry that attempting to write a history of the system by juxtaposing the government against the citizen is a distortion of reality. The reality, rather, is that ordinary Cubans have contributed huge personal resources to the success of the Cuban revolution, and the revolution in turn has uplifted ordinary Cubans to world leaders in a great many fields, against a great many odds.

Yaffe backs this up with rich and plentiful first hand accounts from government ministers, economists, bureaucrats, scientists, doctors, social workers and trade unionists. This extensive cast all appear to support Yaffe's view that Cuban socialism has so massively uplifted the ability of ordinary people to achieve extraordinary things that the aspirations of state are functionally inseparable from the aspirations of the populous.

If you are looking for a political or diplomatic history of Cuba, put this book away. You won't learn much about the events of the revolution, the Missile crisis, CIA assassination plots on Castro etc. This book picks the story up later, showing the reader how Cuba transformed itself - and continues to transform itself - since the end of the Cold War. This is an important rectification of the scholarship; Cuban socialism has now existed for longer since the end of Soviet communism than before and historical works which focus purely on the late 50s/early 60s no longer provide an adequate tool for understand the Cuban system in its entirety.

However, for those perhaps planning a visit to Cuba, or simply interested in the contours of Cuban society in the post-Castro period, this book will be of deep interest.

[Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard not to read this book as something of a counterargument to decades of American orthodoxy. The question "We Are Cuba!" is meant to leave the reader with is 'If they accomplished all this with the strangling embargo, what could they do if they were just treated fairly?'

Yaffe is certainly not without bias and the book comes from a leftist and Cuba-friendly perspective, but she's up front with this and rightly points out that essentially none of the Western media coverage of Cuba is objective. Although much of the point of the book is to outline the Cuban people's successes and the underappreciated societal structures they have created since the revolution, Yaffe is fairly diligent about pointing out drawbacks and flaws, particularly in the book's later, summarizing stages.

I think I genuinely learned a lot from this book, and it felt like a nice companion to the excellent second season of the Blowback podcast.

[Linus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't recommend this book enough. An absolute must read, giving you decades of well-told history and inspiring you along the way.
Yet another people the USA has worked tirelessly to villanize for its own capital self interest

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't recommend this enough. Picked it up after listening to an interview with Yaffe on the Cosmopod podcast, and the bool delivers. Just absolutely critical to get a better understanding of what Cuba has been through, what it's had to do deal with after the collapse of the soviet bloc and with the cruel and grotesque US sanctions. Great information on their efforts in energy, biotech, and health care delivery, along with their recent constitutional reforms. Can't imagine not supporting them in their efforts as they try to deliver a more just society on their own term despite all the things allayed against them. They haven't gotten everything right, but who has? And this book walks through it all. An indispensable book in our current moment, and as ever until we in the US stop our punitive policies against them and support them to govern their country on their own terms.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for anyone who wants to have an opinion on Cuba.

[Julian · Rating 5 out of 5]

richtig, richtig gut geschrieben. das buch gibt einen überblick über die ökonomie kubas, beginnend mit einer kurzen darstellung der ersten maßnahmen nach der revolution. hauptaugenmerk liegt jedoch auf der zeit nach 1985, mit einigen „exkursionen“ in themen wie kubas medizinische leistungen (henry-reeve-brigaden und die pharmaindustrie) oder die energierevolution.
am spannendsten fand ich die kapitel bzgl. der neueren reformen zum self-employment oder der anwerbung ausländischer unternehmen. yaffe bleibt durchgehend kritisch, widmet große teile von kapiteln der kritik der kubaner:innen an diesen reformen und verweist immer wieder auf führende politiker wie díaz-canel, die diese reformen für nötig, aber nicht gut befinden. negative folgen dieser reformen werden nicht verschwiegen, genauso wie die dadurch erhöhte gefahr der kapitalistischen restauration.
das buch endet mit dem verweis auf das nach wie vor revolutionäre volk kubas, das beharrlich dem weg des sozialismus folgt und dazu auch aufopferungsvoll bereit ist wie die spezialperiode u.a. gezeigt hat.

das buch wurde 2020 veröffentlicht, daher spielen die corona pandemie und ihre folgen sowie die präsidentschaft bidens keine rolle.

[Jacob Woocher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book that everyone interested in building a socialist society should read! Yaffe starts with a really simple but powerful question: how has the Cuban revolution survived for 30 years after the fall of the USSR, while being just 90 miles from the biggest superpower on earth bent on its destruction? Maybe, just maybe, the government actually has substantial popular support...

What I liked most was the view of Cuba as a *dynamic* society struggling to figure out the best way to take care of its people. This is too often denied to the Cuban revolution. Building socialism, ensuring people have food, healthcare, housing, energy, etc., is really difficult, especially as a former colony facing down an extreme blockade by the United States. She talks about the various policies pursued, tensions involved, course-corrections made. Also very valuable here was a look at how the population is actually involved in making decisions and carrying them out -- in many ways, Cuba is a far more democratic and participatory society than the US.

Cuba is not perfect, and that's not at all what Yaffe is arguing. But it doesn't have to be perfect to be worth defending :)

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an educational read. If you are trying to learn about the political institutions, the contemporary and historical debates/internal logic, the political process of lawmaking, guidelines, constitutional updates, social values underlying economic development, democratic practices, foreign policy soft power projection, different leadership/historical era's political economy priorities, how determinative constraints influence decision making, the development of new forms of trade/export/internal development (biotech, medical international brigades, professional training), and or the revolutionary resilience of the Cuban population, this is must read. More English scholarship on these contemporary and historic topics (international armed struggles of Cuba has far more scholarship available in English) needs to be fostered, especially considering the time critical need for alternative systems/platforms/visions and the human toll the US blockade inflicts on the Cuban people.

[Gavin Addison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read- the chapters on how Cuba handles its energy and food crises are very interesting in our climate-concerned world, and chapters on Cuba's healthcare and education efforts domestically and internationally are equally inspiring. A go-to resource for understanding how the revolution is still standing.

[Christopher Moltisanti's Windbreakers fan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the only book imo you need to read right now to understand the Cuba's fight against imperialist dog aka America. Yaffe's book is easy to read, full of well researched data with footnotes. Also, checkout her documentary on Cuba's fight against climate crisis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APN6N...

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author genuinely understands Cuba and its socialist development. Lays out the awesome achievements and challenges in perfect clarity. Way beyond the superficial works of other international authors. Read it!

[Nick Thorp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible Cuba has been able to survive for so long and accomplish so much despite being under the thumb of the US blockade for 60+ years. I don’t think people realize how much the US blockade has fucked Cuba. It is so hard for Cuba to import goods, get external investment, get tourists, etc all because of the illegal blockade. It’s not as simple as “just trade with other countries” either because those countries or businesses can be disciplined with huge fines and other penalties. Cuba’s accomplishments, especially in the medical fields and green energy fields would be impressive without an illegal blockade strangling their economy. Also insane that they were able to send troops to Angola to help fight apartheid South Africa and help contribute to their demise. Revolutionary Cuba is so fucking based man. It’s so frustrating imagining where they’d be without the US strangling their economy.

Also was interesting reading about how Trump trying to overthrow Venezuela’s government in his first term would have the effect of fucking over Cuba even further because Venezuela is Cuba’s main supplier of oil. Fuck the Monroe Doctrine, fuck the US empire.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really excellent, comprehensive look at Cuba as the Revolution continues to shift and “walk the tightrope” to stay true to its aims. There are fascinating chapters about their biotechnology and medical internationalism, and others that focus more on stuff that kind of confuses me, like unified currencies and breakdowns of pay structures and informal economies.

It is very apparent that, to quote current Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel, “In the most difficult times, Fidel and Raúl Castro always went to the people. This was the essence of the revolution, as the people are the source of wisdom and creation.” There have been many changes since 1959, but the Revolution’s commitment to its people has been a consistent priority.

The last chapter attempts to engage with renewed hostilities (it was published in 2020) from the DJT admin by drawing lessons and experiences from each of the previous chapters. “We are left to ask, what could the revolutionary people of Cuba achieve if they were left in peace — if they were finally given the chance to prosper, and not just survive.”

[Grig O' · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty much my "introduction" to Cuba. Along with the excellent Blowback s2 podcast, I was set for a Cuba-themed summer.

There's a lot to appreciate here, with a nice mix of facts&figures and local accounts. The author having spent significant time inside Cuba definitely helps, too. She eschews many common attacks on Cuba, pointing to places where these debates, supposedly, have been hashed out. And although she doesn't hide her allegiances, the book keeps an objective tone and, for the most part, avoids hackneyed commie wordings.

Still, with all my newfound appreciation for the Cuban revolution, and desire to visit the country (apparently there's a nice electroacoustic music center in Havana...), it only takes a Wikipedia search to realise they have some serious issues which this book is not interested in tackling.

[Lucas Fernandez-Rocha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Arguments are so blindly one-sided that I wouldn’t even recommend this to someone who is trying to hear a pro-government stance on these issues. I actually laughed out loud when she looked at the rampant starvation of the special period on the bright side by noting how cardiac issues were down - go figure! Arguments were unconvincing as she relied too heavily on anecdotes and government produced data (probably no other primary source so can’t blame her too much for this). Overall, didn’t give this a 1 star because it did teach me a bit about current history on the island, which is more difficult learn about. Don’t waste your time unless your a socialist and want someone else to affirm what you believe.

[Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, Yaffe offers a comprehensive look at Cuban political economy and society during and after the special period. Yaffe does not hide her pro. Cuban sympathies but due to the climate of most scholarship on socialist projects her work is a refreshing and much needed counterpoint to a broadly hostile academic climate. Yaffe rights clearly, cites extensively, and paints a in-depth picture of the internal debates within Cuban society around reforming and modernizing there socialist system.

[Sean Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy moly what a read! I had to stop every few pages and process what I had read!

Growing up in a western country, pretty much all I knew about Cuba came via "communism bad, US capitalism good" education and news, so I found it eye-opening and worldview-challenging to hear a much more authentic telling of Cuba's social and economic history. Despite being absolutely jam-packed full of information (the last ~quarter of the book is just bibliography), I found it approachable and hard to put down. HIGHLY recommend.

[KT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and enjoyable read

Highlights include:
The chapter covering the early history of relations between Cuba and the USA, particularly their economic relationship, which was determined by the logic of the expansion of US corporate capitalism/emerging imperialism, and the subordination of Cuban industries to its interests

Chapters on Cuba's progress in energy, biotechnology and medicine, which exemplified their revolutionary spirit and international solidarity

[Jason S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is presents a really interesting account of Cuba's ability to survive, and in some ways thrive< since the fall of the Soviet Union. Some very detailed research about how the regime has shifted its priorities, including a focus on renewable energy to promote energy independence. While the book is often apologetic to the Castro regime and isn't even-handed, it would present a good balance if compared to a text that focuses on human rights abuses, etc.

[Faiz Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its crazy how much they achieved in spite of all the hostility from US. Their achievements not only demand respect, but makes one wonder how such kind of voluntary collective action, cooperation, and an all inclusive policy making process, would play out in their own country.

Was not a fan of the writing style and the presentation of data in this book.

[Carla Bull · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew nothing about Cuba prior to reading this and wow... shocking, inspiring, deeply sad. Cuba has achieved so much despite the absolutely brutal, inhumane US sanctions. One of the most incredible history books... maybe books in general? I've ever read. I can't stop thinking about it. What would Cuba be like if they'd been left alone to thrive?

[Fidel Castro · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best and most complete books I have ever read. Opened a new world to me : the future, as we try to devise the methods we will need to apply to distribute and manage the world’s resources after capitalism is finished using them up.

[Jonas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly exhaustive

[Drew Lyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fascinating and enlightening read!

[Marc Lichtman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cuba after 'the fall of the meringue'

This is an extremely important book about Cuba, focusing on the economy, and how they’ve survived since “the fall of the meringue,” as Fidel Castro referred to the collapse of the Soviet Union. There are parts I disagree with, and parts I'm not qualified to make a judgement on. But I urge all supporters of Cuba to read it. Yaffe's philosophical idealism disturbs me at time, like her talking about Cuba continually creating "new forms of socialism."

Helen Yaffe starts out with Che Guevara’s ideas on economics. I haven’t read her book on the subject, but I read the earlier book by Cuban economist Carlos Tablada, Che Guevara on Economics and Politics in the Transition to Socialism, which Fidel Castro recommended in a major speech.

The Bolsheviks would never have taken power in 1917 if they hadn’t expected that their revolution would be followed by revolutions in the advanced capitalist countries of Europe. For a while it appeared that would happen. The conditions of scarcity and the leadership crisis after the death of Lenin created the conditions for Thermidorian counterrevolution. The socialized property relations remained but tied to a monstrous police state. “Socialism in one country” was the slogan adopted by Stalin. [See [book:Lenin's Final Fight|127019228] and Trotsky’s The Revolution Betrayed: What Is the Soviet Union and Where Is It Going?.

The Cuban Revolution happened at a time when the Soviet Union was still strong enough to assist Cuba, but the Stalinist apparatus wasn’t strong enough to overthrow or buy off their genuine revolutionary leadership.

[There were attempts by a clique led by Aníbal Escalante, an old leader of the People’s Socialist Party to overthrow Fidel Castro, and they appear to have had some backing in Czechoslovakia, but not in the Soviet Union. For this see [book:Dynamics of the Cuban Revolution: A Marxist Appreciation|189876] by Joseph Hansen, and Selected Speeches of Fidel Castro.

Today Cuba uses their own variations of the New Economic Policy, renewed tourism, and many other methods to survive the tightened US embargo. They don’t claim this is anything other than a necessary retreat. The Cuban Revolution still maintains huge support, but even among supporters of the revolution many want to emigrate for economic reasons, and the birth rate is quite low. There is a significant part of the population involved in illegal activity that undermines the revolution. Cuba is the only example of what a society trying to build socialism looks like. Helen Yaffe talks extensively about Cuba’s medical internationalism, which the poorest countries aren’t charged for, but which countries with oil or other wealth do pay for and contributes to the economy. [For more on this, see [book:Red Zone: Cuba and the Battle Against Ebola in West Africa|50400045].

One thing that the book has little on is the fight of the Cuban Five, which played a big role in keeping support for the revolution alive in Cuba, and elsewhere gave a boost to the solidarity movement. [For a good interview with them see [book:It's the poor who face the savagery of the US justice system|28966693].

Can Revolutionary Cuba survive in the without socialist revolutions in other countries? Not in the long run, but we have to continue to support them in whatever ways we can until we’re able to guarantee their survival through that process. [See [book:Cuba and the Coming American Revolution|1198661].