THE HUMAN TRAGEDY OF DISLOCATION
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Case Number:
Publication Date:
July 20, 1984
Content Type:
MEMO
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Central Intelligence Agency
ER 84-4010/1
20 July 1984.
MEMORANDUM FOR:.. The Honorable Robert M. Kimmitt
Executive Secretary, National Security Council
SUBJECT: The Human Tragedy of Dislocation
REFERENCE: Your Memorandum of 16 July 1984, Subject:
Castro's Cuba: A Model for Arrested Development
We have no comments on the subject memorapdum.
txecutive Secretary
cc: Mr. Charles Hill
Executive Secretary.
Department of State
Colonel R.J. Affourtit, USA
Executive Secretary .
Department of Defense
Distribution
Original - Addressee
1 - Each CC listed above
1 - NIO/LA
1 S Chrono
e;--OE R
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I
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNcu.
WASHINGTON. O.C. 20306 I
July 16,
MEMORANDUM FOR MR. CHARLES HILL
Executive Secretary
Department of State
COL R. J.'AFFOURTIT
Executive Secretary
Department of Defense
Executive Secretary
Central Intelligence Age
SUBJECT: White House Digest: "Ca
A Model for Arrested Dev
Please provide your comments regarding
Digest, "Castro's Cuba: A Model for Ar
July 20. Thank you.
tt+p' is; Cuba : -
1j~ ..nt"
ho attached Waite ' t9use
exs:e4 Development 141
i,a mitt,
Robert 11.
Executi e C ecretary
.White House Digest
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In the 25 years that Fidel Castro
consistently portrayed his revolution a
states that wish to escape the burdens
Castro presents Cuba as a success-story
country was woefully underdeveloped in
impressive statistics in different area
Such a portrayal ignores many impo
ately misleading. Cuba before January
most other, if not all-other Caribbean}
economic areas.
In 1958 Cuba enjoyed the highest G
(CNP) and per capita income in the Cari
It had significantly larger numbers of
its Caribbean and Central American neig
numbers of such items were steadily ris
the Castro takeover.
By 1975, however, several Latin Am
passed Cuba in some of these economic i
that while some progress had been made
approach the progress made during the s
countries.
Eight other Caribbean Basin states;, all of whom were ~rtall
televisions in 1958, made great strides in aii tr,e4 area4py
1977. In Cuba, on the other hand, they ,was notljin3 apprg ,chir,g
the improvement in the other eight states. If ar,4yt~4ing, C ;pa has
shown itself to be a model of arrested evelopmerjt.
Nevertheless, impressive sounding lairgs aret made by ;C,astrc,
and on behalf of Castro. One of these s the supposed im rpve-,
ment in the infant mortality rate in t years since 1959,'
Again, Castro began from a high level. Cuba's igfa{it morality
rate in 1959 was 32 per thousand. This as better than moat
countries in the world, including Germa y, Italy arnci Spai Irk.
1970, the rate had risen to 38%, althou h Castro cl,piins tq .,iave,
reduced it to 19% by 1980.
Castro also takes credit for improving literacy and 9'e;1ica,1
care. In-the area of literacy, the rat in 1959 was 78% Ina
rising. Castro's *success" has been si ply in doing away with
remaining pockets of illiteracy. Impro eTnent in me1ical mare,
measured in numbers of people per physi ian, has also lag e;1 w?,11
behind the improvement made in other de eloping couptriesI
In the meantime, the Cuban economy
dependent on sugar and on a huge Soviet
future Castro has to offer his Third Wo
STED DEVELOPMENT
as ruled Curpa, he. As
a model fo,r Third world
f underde,ve lopmen t .
implying; triat thq
959 but row boasts
p f econc mip 4eve hpmen,t .
t.ant facts pnd is
958 was q;el~ wheal
totes -in mapy. Sig
1 lih r-
pf
ificant
ops Natic,naL Prod ICX
pan Basl,n pLrter tr U. S.
FS and t;eltrphone than
prs , Mcireipver,
ng in then yirars b1fpre
ri,can coi;intries hid
di,cators, d;rmonstrt ting-
n Cuba, i,t - c id not
e years in non-CCmipunist
has grown} c,pmplet ly
subsidy. This is the
Id imitator 11
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Introduction
Cuba is similar to Ohio both in si
frequently presented as a model for and
of the alleged improvements that have b
economic indicators since Castro-marche
1, 1959.
This model that is held up for emu
American scholgrs is one of rigid state
and greatly restricted civil liberties.
A Mexican scholar- recently wrote.
between civil liberties and what he ca
liberties," which he claims Cuba has c
many apologists for Cuba when he says:
"How are we going to say to
(Mexicans, Salvadorans, Guatemala
socialism to defend their liberty
liberty? Do we really think that
can express all their frustration,
Let us think for a moment that we
Nicaraguans of those fundamental
have conquered.
"Let us tell them that ...
receive free medical attention.
kurger. That in Cuba everyone ha
the Nicaraguans that in return fo
of expression in Cuba and dissent
them the choice. What do you thi
stay as they are, dying of hunger
liberty yf expression? Or would
option?"
This reasoning, besides revealing
elitism, also assumes that it is neces
freedom and plenty. Further, it accep
reign has been an economic success sto
The reality - Cuba Bef
In 1958, Cuba was far ahead of mo
American neighbors economically. More
tors used to measure such progress wer
1950s.
Some of these advances had little
system the island had. Advances in to
industry have taken place all over the
and all countries have benefitted to v
ingenious for Castro to take credit fo
that have taken place while he has hel
e ar,,d population. it i,s
r4evelopt d states becaL;;Fe
en made ;n a numbi;r of
into Hayana on J11nuary
ation by so, many forth
control of the ec 11 nomy
,qt the ciitferenc1
cered. He, is ty' 11 ical 4?f
J~ of the:fie pet ple !
s) that they m?st 1 fight
of a :pres;tic,n? wh.lt
all these misex'abl) peop'l.e
k;itterne;ps anc4 an er?
i,ght tolls to the
kterties -01,t the 1.4,ban;
G ba all tike 4:ni t ;'en
hgit ~n Cu)?.a no one
4kk-oes... , P,nd lets
this there is no
is not al.Los,,,ed and
they wok;144 prefe
bit exert isi,ng the-,
hey {hoos,p the oth
a ce l: to in amount o
q;ies of
u,s tc.;~1
eedcxa
,ive
' Tc~
ary to chao;je betwfstn
s thp, Cas trq lone lest )pis
Y.4
re Castro
t pf its ai, ibbean.
vet, many :he if
to dq with the pol t:ital.
hnology, medicine ;td
wprld in the 2pth I ~'nturq
rying degrees.
all the material
Power.
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United Nations Statistical Yearbooks
International organizations clearly show
were much better off than Nicaraguans, Co
or the people in the two countries of His
examples will demonstrate this. It is mo
Cuba with Costa Rica and the Dominican Re
states have had long periods of democrati
market economic policies.
Cuba in 1958 had about 5.3 times as ~
Rica and about 2:3 times as many as the D
However, the Cubans had 170,000 telephone
telephone Costa Rica and 9 times more th
Republic.
Cubans travelled around their island
1958, on 7,000 km of paved roads. Costa
less than 10% of the Cuban figure, and le
roads, even though Costa Rica is less tha
Cuba.
Television was also readily availably
days. There were 500,000 T.V.'s in Cuba,'
6,000 in the Dominican Republic. In fact
six times as many televi;lion receivers as
inhabitants of eight oth;rr Caribbean natii
Castro has also made many grandiose
health care, especially for the poorest p
again, it is important to see what Castro
what the trends were in 1958. The year bi
that Cuba had about 6,400 doctors, more tl
ten years earlier.
Costa Rica had only 379 Doctors irk 1
Republic had fewer than ?00 (in 1954). 1
that Cuba was already well ahead of its n,
lute numbers of physicians and the ratio
inhabitants.
This undoubtedly accounts in part fo
lower death rates in Cuba, as compared to
Dominican Republic. Interestingly enough
dropped substantially in the latter two c
in Cuba the drop was less than one per th
Castro resorted to an outright fabri
for lowering the infant mortality rate.
Castroism-is that it is responsible for 1
mortality rate from 60 per thousand to 19
reality is less impressive.
When Castro came to power, the rate
but 32 per thousand. Lowering this rate
a?,3 other sources fxom
h,~t the people of iAba
j
r;ins,
to Ricans,, Salvado
a pla. a few
t Useful to coipar
uplic since these
ppliticst and free
aAy people as Cost
mi}aican F,epubl is .
13 times as finanl
n the Douinican
i,j 159,0C.0 cars i
ip.ans haci 15,000
q
s than 15,% of the
j alf the; size of
in. the Fire-Castro
c npared with only
the Cub4,ns had at,
did6the 1,9 million
ns.
,Fs,
,aved
laims abciut improi~ell
ople of C;uba. Onq`e
had to w4}rk with nt3
fore the; U.N. ret rteO,
aq double; the num ,r of
57 and tt;e Domini
hat this means is
ighbors moth in a~
f doctor;, to
the subEEtantiall
Costa Rica and th
the death rates
untrieg k!y 1972,
usartd.
atiGn to claim su
art of the legend
werj,ng the infant
per thousand. Th
as r>,ot 6(p per tho};
to 19, which, by
cess
of
sand
he
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way, is Castro's figure and not that of
organization, is far less an accomplishm
19.
n (.nc~epenient heali
nt than gping from
t;t
I,0 trp
In the first eleven years of Castro
actually rose to 38 per thousand. Durin
Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, t
stantially. What becomes clear from the.
Castro inherited an infant mortality rat
several developed states (Germany, Italy
than anywhere else in Latin America; and
worsening of this rate was virtually uni
area.
This is, no doubt, why Castro misre
he came to power. What is puzzling is t
and impartial observers would accept Cas
looking into it more closely.
Castro is praised by some observers
expectancy up to 70 years, certainly a r
true. But once again, Fidel began with
of his neighbors. Life expectancy in Cu
compared to 61 in Costa Rica and only 49
Republic. By 1975 it had risen to 69.5,
Costa R15a's rise was also 12% and the D
to 18%.
I
astro's "achievement " therefore, as no better tan
sp ; Nowevr-r, the r
(ibis same period i
rape dr,ppped sub
e figures is ?; rsti~ that.
jjpwer than thpt c
apd Spain) and fa
setcoad, that the
ue ip the Car bbe4
resetted the rate
at sp many knowlec
ro's figure wjthot
fpF jpringing Life
s jectable figure,
i gher figure the
i,;i the Dominican
fjpg An increase o
m,lpican Republ,ic ent up
fe
Nfora
Viable
most
620
;128.
h
democratic Costa Rica's and not as drama i,r as the Dominic
Republic's. More to the point, life exp ci ncy has been
increasing in most states not at war bec u, a. of better ned .fines
and health care. This has little to do itb the ppliti,cal
structure.
Finally, there remains the question
Castro's and his apologists' most grandi
area and they are frequently used as jus
totalitarianism policies. Castro inheri
literacy rates in Latin America and a we
society. (Literacy is usually higher in
rural areas.)
of literacy. Son
s,r c1 aims are in
i ?icatioi, for his
Pf
,~s
In fact, the literacy rate in 1958
was largely due to the trend toward urba
alization.' Castro's "success" has been
with remaining pockets of illiteracy. E
unalloyed blessing, since Castro's liter
heavy dose of Marxist-Laninist indoctrin
spelling 'lessons.
eq one of the higt,e,pt
1 '-advancg,d urban
urban areas than
11
is
as about 78%.
ization 4lnd industjri-
si,mp.y ill doing ahay
en this i,s not an JI
cy p.rogr4lm include s a
tjon, along with t~~e
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Arrested Development - Cuba an Others Since 1959
We have seen that in 1959 Cuba was
neighbors in numbers of telephones, cars
infant mortality and literacy. The impr
however, have been far less dramatic tha
had Communist governments or huge Soviet
and the Dominican Republic are prime exa
By 1961, both Cuba and the Dominica
from long periods of traditional dictato
Battista in Cuba and Omar Trujillo in th
However, the Dominican Ygpublic was in t
far ahead of its
televisions, doc
vements Mince 195
in statels that h
subsides., Costa
pies, of t=his.
Qrs,
, ,
ve nc ,
ica
Republic; were emoirginc1
ship, th4lt of Fulc`encic,
Dominicsn Republic.
rrit~le economic s4lape
One c:, f the easiest ways to gauge a ngmie adlranceRent
looking at the Gross National Product (G1 for v4Erious co{
over a period of time. To see how this rgwt:.h hag beer, dij
tributed, the most useful figure is GNP er Gapit4F.
In 1982, the World Bank stopped prof idix 9 specifics es-
for Cuban GNP per capitp, but it estimat~.tt;iat the figure
between $880 - 1,110. Costa Rica, even With the ifinancial
difficulties it faced in 1981, managed
$1,430. The Dominican Republic's figur
it in the middle range of Caribbean sta
4 P per capiti, of
%!4s $1,21?0, wt-Mich
ie;. ?
.s by
nt.ri*tei
j,mate,i
is
puts
Even more significant than the raw fig;ures a;e th?; grj~wth
rates for these three states. From 1960-1%8l, bol;h the Co{;ta
Rican economy and that of the Dominican Republic brew by ai
annual percentage of 3%. This is a hea t1py. rise, consider,
that the world underwent two severe oil s~-;pp~y sh-?cks Cturix
those years.
n.g
9
Cuba, with its centralized and bureaukpratic comic
planning, had a static GNP during those s5,ne year, . It
difficult to conceive a state's GNP not g4pincj up 'hen one-1 t?arte
of that GNP is provided in the form of 4tpv.et s;ibsidy. t;,e
performance of the Cuban economy has ben A genuir;ie disappi, i,nt-
ment when compared to free enterprise sates,,
Cuba's relative position on GNP pe capita a#pong .ts j tin
American neighbors was high before the ompunist takeover. In
1952, for example, only Venezuela and A gent:ina h.Ad higher (;NPs
per capita than Cuba. By 1981, only Ve ezue.a, Uraguay,
Argentina,. Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Pana , Paraguay, Costa
Colombia, the Dominican Rep blic Ecuado , Pe4-u an-l Guatema
could make the same claim.
i.ca,
124
By 1976, the number of telephones 'n Cuba alpost doub ie;d,
although the number of telephones per c p;ita dropped. In the
Dominican Republic the number of teleph nees rin 1977 was alb gst -7
times the 1958 figure. 15In Costa Rica, 1hgpre were more tha, 10
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Since 1958, the number of passenger cgrs in C;;iba was cilt in
half by 1976. In the Dominican Republic thee we.fg 7. tip e's a;s
many cars and Costa Rica's number went u 4 times. These; two
countries showed spectacular progress in aj;t:a~ning teleyisi, r,;
receivers (over a 2000%;i ncrease). Cast otis ;increAse fi:om 5160
to 1977 was a mere 1.3%
Another indicator of development is the number of peop e, pe,f
physician. The Dominican Republic went rc?t over 7,000 peolA.e
for each doctor in 1957 to less than 2,0(0 i,n 1973. Cotta
improved its ratio from 2,700 to 1 to 1, 041 tg 1 during the
period. In Cuba, which receives so much ct;edit for i_mp:ovi
health care, the ratio, while lower than thedemocratic sta
actually rosg8slightly from 1960 to 1976 (}::ono, 1,020 to I t
h}lye raised this li
e;r parcentage than
gla, 73 years, but
ep i;- 1960. Since
d or exceeded the!
uch As Haiti, Soli
Hand in hand with improved medical are is infant Iaort~ %~;ity.
As we have seen, Castro managed to make hpt xate go up, wh rh i,5
quite a negative achievement. During th ; m!a, period 0959, x;9701
substantially higher infant mortality rateq :LA the Domin ~a; ?
Finally, after 1972-73, the Cuban infant 11no tftlity rate begf~n to
drop, and currently stands at a respecta2le, but not a
surprising, 19 per thougand.
Finally, most Latin American states
expectancy of their populations by a hig
has. Cuba's life expectancy figure is h
also higher than most Latin American sta
sixteen of Castro's neighbors have match
improvement, , cluding very poor states
and Hondu r :i s .
Conclusion
What all this means is that Castro Iias actually arrest
. development that Cuba underwent during t~e 1940s and 1950s.
Other Caribbean states, with considerabl
1959, and without a huge Soviet subsidy,
in addressing their economic difficultie
have surpassed Cuba in absolute figures.
the improvement has been far greater.
Even more importantly, Costa Rica a
have achieved this without prison camps
executions, political prisoners, massive
sive political system that stifles all f
sent. In-the meantime, the Cuban econom.
dependent on sugar and on a huge Soviet
future Castro has to offer his Third War
This repudiates the rather bizarre
freedom and economic progress are incomp
is any example, stifling political and c
less to work ,ith
h,~ye made great st
. In sore cases,
Ian virtually Aver
d the Dominica i Re
extensive, convict
emigration, or a r
r,ns of pcliticaal d ,,-
as groin cornplette,Ly
usidy. This is t
d imxtatcrs.
i,ca
dame
c
e. s ,
Cuba
J; was
+;hen,
ban
;I. a
t3 the
:k n
.ides
:11ey
case
ublic
Tibor,
,
preS-
otion tha,t somehow]
ti,ble. If Castro' Cuba
vii free4,oms do nqt
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produce a trade off in greater economic
Cuban people, 25 years of Castro has mea
become a Soviet colony And their sons be
Even if Castro did provide economic
reasonable person contend that these exc
oppression that he has also inflicted on
Freedom of speech, religion, assembly, d
the birthright of all men, whether they
developed state-or an underdeveloped Thi
The idea that the people of Cuba sh
this birthright for subsidized medical?c
almost indicates elitism and racism.
However, Castro continues to receiv
North Americans for his grandiose claims
avant-guarde thinkers used to praise Hit
"getting their countries moving again."
we will li!arn that Castro has also made
Endnotes
evelopmer;t. For ta
t seeing their lard
ope Soviet proxy rpop;f.
benefits,, can any
se the Cgmmunist
the people of Cub4 ?
is5eqt, and the prg ss are,
ive in a prospero};s
d Wq,rld .5tate.
uid be walling toy
are is appslli4g,
Isell
Ad
hic,b pr;Eise from
r;ugb the same wad
e; and Mussolini
Ferlps before to,
the 1 rain:i run on
1. Fernando del Paso, writing in El Proceso~r a Mt.xicj
weekly magazine, 7 May 1984 pp. 36-39.
2. !taiti and the Dominican Republic
3. Many of these figures are take from the study:
qr
1 oncl
tme.
"Comparative Developments in the Caribbears," by Norman Luxlinburcl,
This particular figure is from the Latiri Amierica Statis tics i
Yearbook 1981, Chapter IV.
4. United Nations Statistical Yearbook: 1962, Table
5. Ibid., 1960, Table 138 and Latin 4anericaj3 Stat:i`st c: 1
Yearbook 1977 p. 290
6.
United Nations Statistical Yea
7.
ibid., 1958 Table 176
8.
Statistical Abstract
for Latin
10.
United Nations World Population
1977, Vol. I Table 75 1 11
11. Cuban Census of 1953, United Nations Statisti