The Cuban political system - Essay Example

Cuba, a Spanish colony holds very interesting political system; a country that got independence in 1898 has suffered in early years after independence a series of dictatorships. One of the notable dictators was Fulgencio Batista, he ruled with an iron fist that saw over whelming human rights abuses and opposition seriously surpressed.The totalitarianism sparked in 1959 revolution that marked the end of the unjust rule. After the impeachment of the imperial system, Cuba has defined their own system of democracy and provided the democratic space in the political arena; Cuba has endeavored to establish an election system in which direct elections is applied in National assembly, Municipal and the National assembly which resent the parliament.

Contrary to many people’s beliefs, Cuba has liberalized the democratic nature of the candidate’s nominations; the candidates need not to be a member of the Communist party but can be from any party nominated at the primary level, though no political party is allowed to through its support to any particular candidate communist included. The people’s participation in political matters is strong, adults of 16 years and above with convicted persons excluded are allowed to vote, and those outside the contra are also permitted by law to vote this was viewed to expand the number eligible for voting.

Abstaining to vote in Cuba is no offence, and with regard to that, the government appeals to those not wishing to destroy their Ballot papers. The presidential elections in Cuba is done by the National Assembly, the National Assembly elects 41 board members of which the president is amongst them (Erlich). In pluralism no other political parties are allowed in Cuba, all those who want to contest for political posts have only one choice of party, the Communist. This should not be misconstrued for dictatorship but as a strategy to contain the looming American involvement and supporting a party that would defy communism; the American interest is the capitalism.

Political and economic development Though Cuba has been under the rule of Fidel Castro for nearly five decades, certain economic and political developments have been realized. For the period of 1900 to 1925 Cuba amalgamated its economy with the capitalist West, particularly the US. This was basically on sugar exportation, the US was in control of a quarter of the cane plantation and other investment levels, and this cooperation was perceived to weakening the Cuban economy and was rescinded upon.

1934 to 1959 was a period in which America shown interest to control the political developments in Cuba in an indirect way, though highly reprimanded, it created raised the working class level; this was manifested in the 1953 population census that indicated the following; 818,000 people involved in agriculture, 327,000 workers in the manufacturing industries, 232,000 in the field of commerce, 395,000 in the service industry and additional 104,000 in the transport industry (Humbolldt). This statistics were disputed by analysts that the Cuban monoculture practice only spurred growth in the economy and did not realize economic development , its also accused of uneven development, that’s notwithstanding, in the late 1950s Cuba was ranked fourth Latin America countries richest country with indices such as workers percentage, literacy, electric power per capita and food consumption.

In relation to the standard of living Cuba had a lead in reading newspapers, Telephones, TVs and cars per head. It also ranked third in doctors per head, food consumption and radio possession per head. The future of Cuba Cuba at the moment is in a precarious state over a leadership vacuum in the offing, the long serving undisputed Cuban president Fidel Castro is in his sunset days, the brother Raul Castro is temporarily in power and the ragging question is who will succeed Fidel?, who would control both the police and the army. The