Thesis: (1) Variations in Marxist ideology matter (no monolithic communist ideology), (2) sustainable economic reform is possible within a Marxist Leninist State-Party systems, and (3) ideological systemic ossification in Cuba can contribute to crisis and paralysis. It is in that context that one considers the questions: does the Chinese model provide a framework for Cuba? Is it too late for reform of the Cuba CP? If reform is possible, what should be its objectives and strategies? To answer these questions Cuba might do well to consider the Chinese path toward constructing Socialist Democracy and Socialist modernization.

1. The Cuban Communist Party at the Center of
Political and Economic Reform: Current Status
and Future Reform in the Shadow of the Chinese
Communist Party
ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF THE CUBAN ECONOMY
TWENTY-FOURTH ANNUAL MEETING
CUBA’S PERPLEXING CHANGES
Miami, Florida, July 31 – August 2, 2014
Larry Catá Backer
W. Richard and Mary Eshelman Faculty Scholar & Professor of Law and International Affairs,
The Pennsylvania State University
LCB911@GMAIL.COM

2. The Problem
• Ley 118 (foreign Direct Investment) illustrates the problems of
reform facing Cuba today;
• The usual analysis:
– focus on economic viability and administrative coherence/efficiency;
– hunting for evidence of collapse
• Masks the fundamental problems,
– PCC ideological foundations may make reform impossible to realize in its
operation;
• Ideology, then should be an important focus of our study of Cuban
reform.

3. Thesis
• (1) Variations in Marxist ideology matter (no monolithic communist ideology),
• (2) sustainable economic reform is possible within a Marxist Leninist State-Party
systems, and
• (3) ideological systemic ossification in Cuba can contribute to crisis and
paralysis.
– It is in that context that one considers the questions: does the Chinese model
provide a framework for Cuba? Is it too late for reform of the Cuba CP?
– If reform is possible, what should be its objectives and strategies? To answer
these questions Cuba might do well to consider the Chinese path toward
constructing Socialist Democracy and Socialist modernization.

4. Roadmap
A. In Ideology We Trust, The Centrality of ideology to the problem of reform in
Cuba;
B. Progressing vs. Preserving: The Cuban Ideological Path—From Revolution to
Lineamientos;
C. Ideology in shaping Cuba Party-State structure;
D. Ideology in shaping Economic Reform;
E. Different Shades of Red: China and Alternative Paths to Marxist-Leninism;
F. Transition is coming: cosmetic surgery, organ transplant or transgression of the
soul.

5. A. In Ideology We Trust, The Centrality of
ideology to the problem of reform in Cuba
Ideology provides the language of political disocurse and the normative
framework within which reform is possible
Problem
of Cuba
Marxism Leninism
Cuba
political
discourse
Ideology
Ideology
IdeologyIdeology

6. B. Progressing vs. Preserving: The Cuban
Ideological Path—From Revolution to
Lineamientos
• Cuba has chosen European/ Soviet Approach
to Marxist-Leninism;
• Ossification;
• Preserving Revolution became the central
element affect all aspect of Cuba society:
internal policy and foreign policy;
• Cult of Personality vs. institutionalization of
collective decision making;
• Rules vs. Discretion

7. Party Ideology: preserve revolutionary
traditions
1950s Revolutionary
Marxist-Leninism (the
Party Coming into
Power)
1970s-1980s Orthodox
Stalinist Cult of
Personality
Bureaucratic Socialism
(the Leader Over the
Party in Power)
1990s-2010 Ossified
Post Totalitarianism and
Statist Regionalism
Now? (Move toward
Sustained Economy
Reform)
Marx-Lenin-
Stalin Theory
Marti Ideology
• Nationalism
• Latin American
Solidarity
• Self-conscious
Castro Theory
• Refining Leninism/
Stalinism
• Theorizing
Globalization
• Anti-Globalization
Alternative
(ALBA)
?
• Lineamientos
• Social morals,
• Advancing collectivism,
• Ideology of revolution,
• Combat with bourgeois
ideology and errors
• Advancing social justice and
equity, overcoming racism and
• Fighting with corruption and
lack of faith of socialism

8. C. Ideology in shaping Cuba Party-State
structure
Institutionalization
manifested through
the politics of
personality rather
than a matrix of
rules
Party pay more
attention to
ideology and ALBA
rather than
economy
The ideological
base locked up with
class struggle
Weak
institutionalization;
no socialist rule of
law environment.
• Substantial intermeshing of
Party in the functioning of
the state and of the state
apparatus subsumed within
Party structures.
• Law is merely a basis of
administration, which subject
to the discretion of
administrations.

9. D. Ideology in shaping the Reforms
Reform
Coops
Licensing
Ley No.
118
• Reform can only be understood within the
constructs of ideological taboos.
• A limited non-state sectors are tightly
controlled by central planning at the
discretion of administrative power.
• Cooperative regulations and licensing
scheme

10. E. Different Shades of Red: China and
Alternative Paths to Marxist-Leninism
• Marxism-Leninism not Monolithic;
• Chinese path
– Sustainable elements (local applicability)
– Mythological approach: dynamic interpretation from foundations.

11. F. Transition is coming: cosmetic surgery,
organ transplant or transmigration of the
soul?
• Most in the west: an inevitable transition toward western style based
economy and democracy.
• Many in PCC: gradual opening as narrow as possible, a painkiller that solve
present issues while minimizing the impacts on basic character of Cuba.
• The third approach (Chinese path) to the construction of a Marxism-
Leninism Party-State, Socialist Rule of Law/ Democracy/ Opening Up.

12. Thank You
Ｔｈａｎｋ ｙｏｕ
90s 2000s
Havana, Cuba