Cuba legalises sale of private property

[CenturionTolteca]

dirty impoverished filthy communist ghetto, narco-cuba is a shit hole

[tripleheshy]

I bet this news makes Michael Moore (Sean Penn, Cindy Sheehan, Roseanne Barr among others) cry.

[yatescj77]

Most supporters of Socialism in the US are little spoiled Middle and upper middle class kids thinking they are so smart but put the in a Socialist Communistic Country for 1 day theyd be saying how much they love the US and Capitalism and Democracy

[kckdude2]

@yatescj77

Well, that's because Cuba's been economically sanctioned by the USA since 1959, so you can't just say that socialism alone is the problem. Nordic countries are very socialistic and do you see them dirt poor like Cuba? They're also capitalist, of course, but they have both elements, which seems to be ideal, as opposed to JUST socialism/communism or JUST capitalism.

[yatescj77]

America is in trouble now because it is taking a Socialist approach. China is only powerful because its biggest customer is the US and it has a half billion cheap proxy US Employees. And most dont see all the troubles that the Chinese people do have such as censorship and Human Rights Violations,

[yatescj77]

All you have to do to see the truth between the Capitalism vs. Communism is look at Cuba in 1956 and then look at Cuba in 1966. Case Closed. And China is only a Communist power because its Economy relies on US Consumerism. What has got the US in trouble as of late is government taking a bigger role.If the Government would back off and let Capitalism breathe instead of playing Big Govt Big Brother America could fix all of its problems.

[kocigezim]

lame ass country

[avit755]

What a joke !!!

[semperfi686]

Yeah but only for Cuban citizens and permanent foreign residents.For now..

[bigsapo1245]

@JosephStalin11 you are correct my brother in ams it is our birht right to rule the world and the cuban putas will be our sex slaves

[Yojimbo707]

If the USA owns Cuba and its puppet leftist government , I guess Americans can let them play capitalism. Real Estate and banks are Americans, the cheap labor force is cuban

[rimlanin]

What the hell is this liberal idiot think he is doing? We all know what private ownership leads to...just look at the US. If this continues, in a few years, Socialism would no longer be in place in Cuba. I hope he rethinks and reverses his reforms.

[SlypherSpoons]

@rimlanin Capitalism gets a bad rap because it's not perfect, but show me something that is. I like what Milton Friedman said about Capitalism. Someone mentioned all the horrors that happened in capitalist countries and he wisely answered "I never said that where you had Capitalism you had Freedom. I said the opposite; where you had Freedom you had Capitalism. Capitalism is not a substantial condition for Freedom; it's a necessary condition for Freedom."

Cuban don't have their rights

[rimlanin]

@SlypherSpoons What is the concept of "freedom"? Is staying on the sidewalk conidered "freedom"?

[SlypherSpoons]

@rimlanin You don't know what freedom is? Your exercising it right now, freedom is the human right that every individual has on this planet, since the day we gained a conscious. I don't expect you too know. I can tell your statist scum. You want to control other people's live by the state, you want to steal their property, and you support authoritarian statist states, you want to part of the elite political class. Even Marx would be ashamed of those statist "communist" state

[rimlanin]

@SlypherSpoons You are right, I AM statist and I am authoritarian. Also, I don't follow Marx. No Communist does, only Anarchists do. The concept of freedom is flawed, a State needs to have regulations on people's lives, to avoid chaos. Democracy makes a country weak, the only way to achieve stability is trough a firm, authoritarian dictatorship, within a single-party, Communist state. The third order of business is equality, which is achieved trough nationalization and people's commettees.

[S0ryiu]

@rimlanin I'd dissgree with that. Having a single party dictatorship can (as it has with Cuba in the past) lead to social unrest. The government style that seems to work the best is an Imperial system based upon having a publicly elected senate under the authority of an emperor.

[rimlanin]

@S0ryiu Not true at all. Single-party systems tend to be the most stable and yield the best results, as long as they are in power. The monarchial system is very flawed, as it terms that one person's family is somehow genetically better than everybody else's and it creates inequality. As for Parliamentary monarchies, its just pointless, a leader without power isn't a leader at all.

[S0ryiu]

@rimlanin But you are ignoring the fact that the ideals of the party in control. let's say a racial supremecist group is the party in control and they instate laws that promote genocide?

[rimlanin]

@S0ryiu I was talking about a Communist party. If a nazi party takes power, anything possible must be done to bring it out of power, as it is the most horrendeous government possible, even worse than capitalists. 

[S0ryiu]

@rimlanin and I'm saying that a communist party can easily become s fascist party. power can corrupt most men.

[siewertje]

It's a good thing that Cuba changes. A mixed market is the best for the people and state. I just hope that it doesn't become like the one in china. Progressive taxes could be the answer. Long Live Socialist Cuba!

[tupacoutlaw3]

@Ixpatli you are wrong again Obama took out the restrictions you can travel now as many times as you want and there is no reason to offend people so why are you doing so ?

Im a US citizen and a Cuban citizen too and Im proud to be one

[ryanrful]

Interesting. 53 years ago, the Castro regime robbed citizens of property and every human right. Now Raul claims owning and selling property is permitted. That being said, the leftist experiment has been a total failure.

[TheMOONBEAM40]

@ryanrful You mean with 50 years of economic warfare and sabotage by the ruling class in the states? all because Cuba got shut of the Mafia run brothel/casinos and took control of its own destiny. Because of a vindictive embargo ,Cubans have been denied consumer goods etc. But despite that they have a 1st class health /education for ALL OF ITS CITIZENS . After all that!! you smugly say.! socialism doesn't work .HA! HA! open your eyes . look at U.S cities!!

[semperfi686]

@TheMOONBEAM40 Damn!Cuba trades big way with usa (imports, export), they have goods imported from usa, china, europe, etc which you can buy.They have two kinds of currency.In rest you are right, they have education, good caring health system, good tourism.I know Cuba because I use to live there but couldn't develop a business as foreign citizen or buy propriety last year so I left for another place.Socialism does work with a capitalistic economy of a state.But I don't like it:)

[tupacoutlaw3]

@Ixpatli you are wrong again YES I'm allowed to travel to my homeland by the way I have done so in the pass

and I'm also a us citizen

[vampirocubano]

now, wait few years and you'll see what going to happen

[tupacoutlaw3]

@Ixpatli you are wrong I'm cuban

and cuba is not a colony trust me where are you from ?

[TheMOONBEAM40]

@tupacoutlaw3 It shocks people world-wide at the arrogance +ignorance of a large section of the U.S population! have never been outside America. They are misinformed by the corporate owned media . Told who to vote etc used as cannon fodder in aggressive wars , whilst the Taliban neo-cons get even richer out of war expenditure , The good guys are labeled COMMIES OR WIMPS ETC U.S.A standing the world as never been so low. When will they ever learn

[tupacoutlaw3]

@Ixpatli you are right about the part that communism is a failure

but you are wrong about the part of america and mexico taking over cuba

it won't happen

[TheMOONBEAM40]

@tupacoutlaw3 If communism was a failure . America would be in deep s--t . my friend. China has bailed the USA out with massive mega loans.  All empires eventually fail , and America is past its sell-by date. Even the most ill-informed /conditioned person will eventually realize obscene wealth along side obscene poverty cannot go on when the chips are down!! IF YOUNG START STUDYING the CHINESE LANGUAGE, PRONTO!!!

[CenturionTolteca]

illegal drugs must be legalized in cuba because cuba is owned by Americans

cubans surrendered to capitalism. Mexicans, British , jews, Spaniards, and Americans have properties in Cuba. They are the owners of cuba.

[Shilohmx1]

Cuba will be annexed to our powerful Empire.

Cubans surrendered.

[CenturionTolteca]

@Shilohmx1 right!

[203207ab]

Viva Raul Castro !!!!

[Shilohmx1]

I own property in Cuba. I am Mexican

[Snowintosh]

Long Live Cuba!

[BillKiernan]

@ElectricChimp1 yet everyone i talked to there wanted to leave....

[BillKiernan]

@ElectricChimp1 what they have? you haven't been there, have you?

[BillKiernan]

@ElectricChimp1 " If I was a Cuban, I'd shut the fuck up, stop complaining and get on with life" yeah, what whiners. their businesses are taxed to the point they can't profit. if you own a restaurant you can't serve seafood, only state run restaurants that serve tourists can. only tourists can use the internet, and stay at nicer hotels. foreign investors can do what they please and buy what they want, well, at least cubans can buy and sell their own homes now. (cont.)

[BillKiernan]

@BillKiernan (cont.) people have barely enough to squeak by, and have to hustle tourists if they want anything extra. no opportunities, you're stuck in the same rut, while upper party members live in mansions. but they should "shut the fuck up" because they're thrown a bone. yeah, and i guess everyone in north korea could have "conjured a way" to take Kim Jong Ill down too. must be nice to be a bourgeois cheerleader for communism, safe on the sidelines. "suck it up cubans, you're not starving.."

[BillKiernan]

@ElectricChimp1 " no internet access? WRONG. Can't stay at 5-star tourist resorts? WRONG" both are well documented and my source is not just the cubans i talked to. or are you telling me i'm wrong b/c they can access the internet at designated places with severe limits/filters? that's not what i'm talking about. look around all the cuba videos, and get back to me on how many cubans, posting from cuba, are commenting on them. right, none, because they aren't allowed access. common knowledge.

[BillKiernan]

@BillKiernan actually, just checked and since 08 they can stay at hotels, so you're right there. is the regime not merciful?

[smellycat389]

is there anyone else that's thinking this is just a way for the govt. to keep its citizens a bit less unhappy so there's no uprising for the near future??

[ezzthemc]

@smellycat389 No. 

[gorrellp]

Lets pray that Banks don't fuck this one up with mortgages...

[fulcrumize]

Yes is tough, but remamber you lucky people to have your property! USA rich people will buy your property and you will have nothing! So keep it to your selfs and your children ! Dont sell to foreners ! Make a law in your country that foreners canot buy business or property in CUBA ! VIVA LA CUBA!

[Badgalnicola]

@fulcrumize You are so right.. Some countries don't allow foreigners to buy but only rent and if they do only allow a certain amount of properties to be owned by foreigners.

[EllyMcCormack]

Cuba legalises private property, but pot is STILL illegal.

[mispistoleros]

@C4P1T4L15M, castro didn't keep cuba poor; US embargo did.

[BillKiernan]

@mispistoleros bullshit, they have plenty of other nations they can trade with

[marklosextremus]

@StaciMermaid trade between America and cuba has been banned since the 60's learn your facts

[extrapressure]

they think they will actually own their own property, but as anyone in the west will tell you, it's the banks that will own it, and then by extension, own you. i get that we all want to have control over our lives and live in freedom, but we need to beware of becoming a slave to materialism and greed. things the cubans traditionally got for free they will now have to pay for.

[NOcomunismo92]

This is great news for Cuba, fuck big government and know that property should be privately owned everywhere and people should receive according to how much they WORK and SACRIFICE for it.

[jonahfox]

OCCUPY CUBA!!! END THIS MADNESS NOW AND BRING BACK THE SPIRIT OF THE REVOLUTION!

[sargentnoob]

Even as a Leninist I am very happy about this.

[swankrecords]

Cuba legalises sale of marijuana

[jieuxarmeni]

Apparently there is a communist that isn't happy about this news.

[manilaenglish]

A major defeat for Cuban people. Everyone thinks they can be rich but the truth is it takes a lot of poor people so that only a few can be rich.

[yourvidisbad101]

@manilaenglish That's not true. "Rich" is such a vague term. How wealthy must one be before they are defined as "rich"? It really just means wealthy in comparison to another class/nation. So a middle class would be defind as rich compared to a lower class, and that's what Cuba should really be striving to obtain, a wealthy middle class, not just an extremely poor lower class and an extremely wealthy upper class. The bigger the size of its middle class the better.

[Shibuki]

@manilaenglish You're basically describing the Communist experience. In America and Western Europe most people have a very decent life. Only a few are poor.

[BillKiernan]

@manilaenglish you have no idea what you're talking about. before this, people had to pretty much wait until a relative died before they had their house to themselves. go to cuba and talk to people about it, they'll have a different perspective than your idealistic one based in fantasy.

[mirarostodo]

Now, who would want to buy a decrepitated, old house in Cuba (mosquitoes, niggers, brain washed Communists, heaps of trash every where in the streets and the food tastes like shit)...?????

[jieuxarmeni]

@mirarostodo kill yourself.

[SapphireDiamond19]

Capitalism is a big no no

[gabiotta]

People in Cuba is going to find that this is just another way for them to get fucked in the ass.

[MrROTD]

what? if cubans have no money then who is going to buy it? this is a land grab cube will be owned by the very rich only

[elitemathlete]

capitalist pigs.

[Norskebanan]

hopefully rich foreigners don't come in and scoop up all the property. it's up to the government to make sure Cuban property stays in Cuban hands, which is probably even more difficult than holding on to the property themselves.

[HajtomY]

@Norskebanan AGREED! Lets hope Cuban's put in their law claws like cubans for cubans.

[BillKiernan]

@Norskebanan the cuban government has been letting foreign investors have their way there forever. wake up.

[esesolox3]

The advancement towards a socialist utopia under a free market, on the long run is the main goal of the revolution Lenin

The annihilation of private property under Marxism was to limit the exploitation of the workers. A commune maintained by the govt was the goal however; this became a major issue in Cuba as corruption limited the people to choose. I don't know what the reporter is talking about but any new residence for sale will have a temporary price ceiling to allow many to purchase promptly

[Polydynamix]

Why do we still have an embargo with them?

[mispistoleros]

cuba may be poor but it's owned by the cubans, not foreign corporations

[Polydynamix]

@mispistoleros They are the other extreme. Rarely is an extreme ever a good thing. It's about balance.

[Redfingers]

@mispistoleros

That is a fucking delusion if I've ever seen one. I suppose you're going to tell me next that the farm land in Soviet Russia was owned by Russian peasants and the factories in China are owned by the sweatshop workers?

[Ksabrs45]

@mispistoleros

We may be starving and desperately impoverished. But atleast our masters speak the same language and have the same skin color.

[TheMankindopinion]

@mispistoleros but they had paid the highest price! FREEDOM,,, is not worth it

[mispistoleros]

@TheMankindopinion, when given the choice between castro and US ties, they chose castro every time. they didn't like him but considered him the lesser of 2 evils. if it hadn't been for castro, cuba, today, would be a US franchise.

[BillKiernan]

@mispistoleros "owned by the cubans" hahahaha what? you haven't been there have you?

[rollingcan]

cube is still drive car from the 50's. you got people making car's brake pad at home.

stop oppressing the people.

[DrLeroyGreen]

Told you the market would come back!

[lovetohate028]

A step in the right direction. Hopefully we'll see more of this.

[SerratedXx]

It's a step towards Capitalism and away from the failed policies of Communism.

[DimmedDiamond]

This means housing prices will rise (not subsidized by the government), and there will be many more homeless (can't afford/not guaranteed housing). It's going to get worse before it gets better. Hopefully it'll get better soon.

[Snutih]

stop breeding

[ProjectDystopia]

@Snutih shut your punk ass up

[xBloodXGusherx]

So is Cuba still a Dictatorship?

[WinkyMaeve]

@xBloodXGusherx yea, but not for long, Fidels brother is cleaning up some of the soviet era laws and stepping down in a year or two, there will be a Chavez style leader there.

[KlingonSpider]

@WinkyMaeve would you say that is a good thing or bad thing.... or is it more of a good and bad thing?

[WinkyMaeve]

@KlingonSpider it is a good thing, chavez and lula (of brazil) have been the best south american leaders for years.

[lumberj23]

@WinkyMaeve

An average leader would make Venezuela to the richest country in the world. You have to be a Chavez to manage to fail in it.

[Obasiliasfilosofos]

@lumberj23

Those who came before Chavez were even bigger failures

[98nafets]

See what happens when the government starts deciding on your home, income, etc. Glad to see Cuba slowly joining the rest of civilization.

[Obasiliasfilosofos]

@98nafets

I am glad that Raul Castro is smartening up to the failings of the planned economy, He is being wise & responsibly by gradually weening Cubans off of it.

[Midnightryder7]

@98nafets Don't be surprised if america turns into cuba

[Hirnlego999]

@Midnightryder7 Don't be silly. Corporations and the rich own USA.

[RafaelFernandeSantos]

@98nafets And when the government does NOT meddle in our home, income, etc., see what happens: Japanese housing market bubble bust (90s), US housing market bubble bust, Irish housing market bubble bust, Spanish housing market bubble bust.

[98nafets]

@RafaelFernandeSantos The free market doesn't create these bubbles, monetary policy that keeps interest rates artificially low and government policy that gives incentives for people to act in a way to normally wouldn't does.

[RafaelFernandeSantos]

@98nafets The Fed is independent from the US government. Many Fed members employees are there representing banks' interests (at many other Central Banks around the world the situation is the same). The loose monetary policies that caused the bubble weren't taken under the US government watch.

[kip151]

Momentous!