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Indybay Feature

Dinner and Forum on Emerging Autonomous Movements in Cuba

Date:
Friday, October 01, 2010
Time:
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Event Type:
Panel Discussion
Organizer/Author:
Location Details:
Modern Times Bookstore
888 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA


Se sugiere una donación de $20 - $100+ (incluye cena y bebidas, no se niega la entrada por falta de dinero) La recaudación es para apoyar a colectivos autónomos y antiautoritarios en Cuba.

$20-$100+ suggested donation (includes dinner and drinks; no one turned away due to lack of funds) All proceeds go towards supporting autonomous and anti-authoritarian collectives and activities in Cuba

Co-Sponsored by: San Francisco General Membership Branch-IWW
Co-patrocinado por la rama de Oficios Varios del IWW- San Francisco


6-7pm: Cena provista por el Rincón de la Prima (Cocina vegana cubana) Dinner provided by Rincon de La Prima (Vegan Cuban Cuisine)

7-9pm: Ponencias, video y discusión sobre los nacientes movimientos y colectivos horizontales en Cuba. La historia del anarquismo en Cuba, y más; Panel, videos and discussion on emerging horizontal movements and collectives in Cuba. The history of Cuban Anarchism and more.

Speakers/Ponentes:

Luis Prat: : miembro del Movimiento Libertario Cubano y del IWW. Hablará sobre la historia del anarquismo en Cuba; Member of Movimiento Libertario Cubano and the IWW; Speaking about the history of Cuban Anarchism

Armando Chaguaceda: Activista y académico cubano, hablará desde México via SKYPE; Cuban activist and academic; Will be speaking via SKYPE from Mexico

Presentación de video y fotos sobre las actividades socialista-libertarias en La Habana; Video and Photo presentation on libertarian socialist activities in Havana

Antes de la revolución habían en Cuba varias corrientes de izquierda y movimientos sociales activos en el país, incluyendo un importante movimiento anarquista. Después de la revolución todas las organizaciones y movimientos fueron consolidados bajo la teoría de que “dentro de la revolución todo, fuera de la revolución nada”. Recientemente ha habido un renacimiento del interés en modelos organizativos autónomos y horizontales. Much@s jóvenes de La Habana buscan alternativas a lo que ven como un estado burocrático centralizado. Aunque leales al socialismo, desean autonomía y libertad política y creativa.

Esta presentación abordará algunas de los retos y dificultades que l@s cuban@s enfrentan hoy día y cómo estos nuevos movimientos proponen “revolucionar la revolución” a través de la organización descentralizada, autogestión laboral y colectivización.


Prior the the revolution in Cuba there were various leftist currents and social movements active in the country, including a large and influential anarchist movement. After the revolution all organizations and movements were consolidated under the theory of "within the revolution everything, outside the revolution nothing". Recently there has been a resurgence of interest in autonomous, horizontal organizing models. Many youth in Havana are looking for alternatives to what they see as a bureaucratic centralized state. While still loyal to socialism and liberation, they desire autonomy, creative and political freedom. The presentation will touch on some of the challenges facing Cubans today and how these new movements propose to "revolutionize the revolution" though decentralized organizing, worker self management and collectivization.


If you are unable to attend the event but would like to make a donation please contact:
libsolidaridadcubano [at] gmail.com

(Donations are also requested for computer equipment such as laptops, flash drives and printers)

Si no puedes asistir al acto pero te gustaría hacer una donación, ponte en contacto con:
libsolidaridadcubano [at] gmail.com

(También se solicitan donaciones de equipos como laptops, flash drives e impresoras)
Added to the calendar on Fri, Sep 10, 2010 10:59PM

Comments (Hide Comments)
by Something doesn't sound right...
The Cuban government recently announced a major economic reorganization that will involve the reduction in employment in the state sector by as many as 500,000 workers. The reforms will also promote the enlargement of what is called the “private sector,” which means the formation of privately owned enterprises organized to generate profits for the private owners of the businesses.

Why is this group, the MLC, that has been abroad for so long suddenly becoming interested in addressing autonomous and anti-authoritarian "collectives" and "activities" in Cuba? Anarchist believe in communism, correct? Why place so much enthusiasm in promoting small collectives (which will be capitalist in nature) as a way to counter the authoritarian regime of the Communist Party in a time that happens to coincide with the US looking to also "invest" heavily in Cuba and take advantage of this complicated period? Plus, who ask for such a high donation? I don't know any Anarchist events in the SF Bay Area that start off their scales at such a high price.

Something seems rather off about this group...Can anyone offer more insight.

I have followed the IWW, and they seem alright when it comes to the approach to the left movements, but I feel someone didn't ask the right questions or someone is being dishonest about their true intentions. We should not blindly support freedom-loving tendencies just because they say nice things or have "good" anti-authoritarian (whatever that means) statements.

Here are some links I found on Movimiento Libertario Cubano:

http://libcom.org/library/interview-with-movimiento-libertario-cubano
http://www.utopianmag.com/archives/something-smells-different-in-cuba-algo-huele-diferente-en-cuba

I guess the rhetoric sounds like modern "American Anarchism" but when placed in a Latin American context, this sounds ridiculous. Cuba has been under an illegal and oppressive embargo for the last 50 years. Still, it has made huge strides in social services, healthcare, education, medicine. This is even under constant threat by US imperialism. Can Cuban "anarchist" be serious when making some of the claims like the ones by MLC? Latin America is changing, and for the better. Even under massive intervention, Latin America is moving forward. This "anarchist" (I appreciate serious anarchist analysis, not naive utopianism) view towards the "authoritarian" governments, really neglects the massive oppression, poverty, and suffering of Latin America which it is still struggling to get out of.

No serious activist can expect Latin America to open up to "freedom and democracy" without first being kicked to the curb by the most "free and democratic" society, The US Empire.

Here are some links to other views on Cuban developments and reforms:

http://links.org.au/node/1916
http://www.pslweb.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=14493&news_iv_ctrl=1261

You can agree or disagree with these tendencies, but at least they are more humble in their approach to what is going on in Cuba.


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