Cuba USA
The final draft of the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines for the Party and the Revolution, the key policy document approved by the Sixth Congress of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) in April, has been published in booklet form and as a downloadable PDF file. Millions of Cubans are now studying the document. Yesterday's New York Times reported that "Cubans lined up at kiosks to pay the equivalent of 12 cents for booklets outlining 313 guidelines".
Making both documents available in English is an important task for the Cuba solidarity movement. I'm going to start by translating the accompanying explanatory document, which I assume the Cubans won't bother translating into English and other languages because of the relatively small international audience for such a detailed explanation of the changes from the earlier draft to the final version of the Guidelines (I'll try to confirm this). By referring back to the English translation of the earlier draft you'll be able to follow the changes in the context of the overall document. I'll publish a translation of the explanatory document in instalments on this blog starting tomorrow.
Together with Paul Greene, who kindly proofread the translation, I took upon myself the pleasurable task of translating the draft Guidelines that were circulated for public discussion in October. It took me several weeks to complete during the university holidays when I had more time. Since the explanatory document runs to 48 pages it too will take weeks to translate ... unless it's a collaborative project.
So I'd like to make an appeal for socialist collaboration: is there anyone out there who is willing to help with this translation work, assuming that I can confirm that the Cubans don't intend to translate them? You'd have the satisfaction of helping to bring to the English-speaking world two of the most important political documents coming out of revolutionary Cuba since 1959, and your contribution will be acknowledged. Many solidarity activists and all serious students of the Cuban Revolution will find them essential reading. The only requirement is that you are a reasonably competent translator (with or without formal qualifications). If you can help please let me know.
A note on the status of the Guidelines that have just been published: they are a recommendation from the PCC Congress for what should become state policy. They will not become law until they are ratified by the highest body of state power in Cuba, the National Assembly of People's Power. This is not simply a matter of National Assembly deputies meeting and voting in favour of the Guidelines. Specific legislative and probably constitutional changes will be required.
You can download the Spanish versions of the Guidelines and the explanatory document from the homepage (top right corner) of the Cuban communist youth daily Juventud Rebelde.
- Translation: Rafael Hernandez Interview Part 2
Here is Part 2 of my translation of Edmundo Garcia's interview of Cuban political scientist and Temas magazine editor Rafael Hernandez (Part 1 is here). The translation is abridged: it is complete up to the end of the text below but...
- Translation: Guidelines Debate 24, Commerce
Here is the 24th and final instalment of my translation of the booklet Information on the results of the Debate on the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines for the Party and the Revolution, an explanatory document published together with the final version...
- Comment: Raul Castro's National Assembly Speech
Raul Castro gave a brief closing speech to the National Assembly on August 1. Earlier, the Assembly had voted unanimously to approve the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines for the Party and the Revolution, on the recommendation of the Sixth Communist...
- Translation: Guidelines Debate 1, Introduction
Information on the results of the Debate on the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines for the Party and the Revolution Translation: Marce Cameron Introduction With the aim of providing more information, this document summarises the analysis made of every...
- Comment: Cuba Reconceives Socialism
The dust has settled from the Sixth Congress of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) and reactions are circulating in cyberspace from all quarters, some better informed than others. It's amusing to note that at least one foreign news agency reported that...
Cuba USA
Sixth Party Congress Guidelines published
The final draft of the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines for the Party and the Revolution, the key policy document approved by the Sixth Congress of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) in April, has been published in booklet form and as a downloadable PDF file. Millions of Cubans are now studying the document. Yesterday's New York Times reported that "Cubans lined up at kiosks to pay the equivalent of 12 cents for booklets outlining 313 guidelines".
Simultaneously, the PCC commission responsible for drafting and editing the Guidelines has published a detailed explanation of all the changes incorporated into the final draft on the basis of the public debates that took place in Cuban workplaces, study centres and neighbourhoods between December and February — involving more than 8.9 million participants* out of a population of some 11.2 million — and by the five PCC Congress commissions.
The final document was approved unanimously by the nearly 1,000 Congress delegates. The whole process has been an unprecedented exercise of socialist democracy. Unprecedented in its depth, scope and mass participation not only in Cuba but in the entire history of the world socialist movement. The Bolsheviks under Lenin and Trotsky had their party and Soviet congresses but nothing like what has taken place in Cuba on the basis of half a century of socialist revolution. And it goes without saying that the years-long process of public debate and consensus-building that culminated in the Sixth PCC Congress and the adoption of the final version of the Guidelines leaves capitalist "democracy" far behind. This will be obvious, I think, to any thoughtful, unprejudiced person who takes the time to study not just the Guidelines themselves but the accompanying explanatory document.
Making both documents available in English is an important task for the Cuba solidarity movement. I'm going to start by translating the accompanying explanatory document, which I assume the Cubans won't bother translating into English and other languages because of the relatively small international audience for such a detailed explanation of the changes from the earlier draft to the final version of the Guidelines (I'll try to confirm this). By referring back to the English translation of the earlier draft you'll be able to follow the changes in the context of the overall document. I'll publish a translation of the explanatory document in instalments on this blog starting tomorrow.
Together with Paul Greene, who kindly proofread the translation, I took upon myself the pleasurable task of translating the draft Guidelines that were circulated for public discussion in October. It took me several weeks to complete during the university holidays when I had more time. Since the explanatory document runs to 48 pages it too will take weeks to translate ... unless it's a collaborative project.
So I'd like to make an appeal for socialist collaboration: is there anyone out there who is willing to help with this translation work, assuming that I can confirm that the Cubans don't intend to translate them? You'd have the satisfaction of helping to bring to the English-speaking world two of the most important political documents coming out of revolutionary Cuba since 1959, and your contribution will be acknowledged. Many solidarity activists and all serious students of the Cuban Revolution will find them essential reading. The only requirement is that you are a reasonably competent translator (with or without formal qualifications). If you can help please let me know.
A note on the status of the Guidelines that have just been published: they are a recommendation from the PCC Congress for what should become state policy. They will not become law until they are ratified by the highest body of state power in Cuba, the National Assembly of People's Power. This is not simply a matter of National Assembly deputies meeting and voting in favour of the Guidelines. Specific legislative and probably constitutional changes will be required.
You can download the Spanish versions of the Guidelines and the explanatory document from the homepage (top right corner) of the Cuban communist youth daily Juventud Rebelde.
*Some participants attended more than one meeting, for example in their workplace as well as in their neighbourhood, so the number of people who participated in the debates would be less than 8.9 million.
- Translation: Rafael Hernandez Interview Part 2
Here is Part 2 of my translation of Edmundo Garcia's interview of Cuban political scientist and Temas magazine editor Rafael Hernandez (Part 1 is here). The translation is abridged: it is complete up to the end of the text below but...
- Translation: Guidelines Debate 24, Commerce
Here is the 24th and final instalment of my translation of the booklet Information on the results of the Debate on the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines for the Party and the Revolution, an explanatory document published together with the final version...
- Comment: Raul Castro's National Assembly Speech
Raul Castro gave a brief closing speech to the National Assembly on August 1. Earlier, the Assembly had voted unanimously to approve the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines for the Party and the Revolution, on the recommendation of the Sixth Communist...
- Translation: Guidelines Debate 1, Introduction
Information on the results of the Debate on the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines for the Party and the Revolution Translation: Marce Cameron Introduction With the aim of providing more information, this document summarises the analysis made of every...
- Comment: Cuba Reconceives Socialism
The dust has settled from the Sixth Congress of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) and reactions are circulating in cyberspace from all quarters, some better informed than others. It's amusing to note that at least one foreign news agency reported that...