Special Period (1 lugl 1989 anni – 1 gen 2000 anni)

Descrizione:

-"Special Period in Time of Peace"

-result of Ochoa Affair + economic crisis caused by collapse of USSR (USSR + Comecon were essential to Cuban economy)

-negative consequences: Cuban GDP fell by 34%, drop in imports of oil + medical supplies, famine

-"Food Programme" launched in 1990

-Castro eventually forced to reintroduce elements of capitalism to Cuba e.g. farmers' markets, private ownership (similar to solution to famine in China following Great Leap Forward 1958)

-impact on industrial production: transportation + industrial production stopped, bicycles (from China) distributed & trucks used as buses, law changed to allow foreign investment, US dollar + progressive taxation introduced

-impact on agriculture: famine, private ownership of plots allowed, change of crops (no Soviet price protection for sugar), training in sustainable agriculture, rooftop vegetable beds (made compulsory), people relocated to countryside to grow food, high demand for Cuban biotechnology (long-term result of educational reforms)

-impact on society: malnutrition, improvement in general health (lack of meat, + use of bicycles), economic reforms but economy not fully liberalised (more protection for poor than in any other country, but inequalities grew), food shortages + lack of consumer goods

-impact on politics: popular support from other Latin American countries, demands for economic reform but conservative opposition - removal of party members demanding them, Cuban Revolution talked about in terms of Latin American nationalism rather than socialism/communism, popular support for Che Guevara's ideas (e.g. justice + egalitarianism)

-end of "Special Period": attacked by Raúl Castro --> reforms reduced, more central economy

Aggiunto al nastro di tempo:

Data: