Dear Mark and John,
I think it is absolutely wrong to defend the Stalinist system of
one-party dictatorship. Why do you think that all Cubans who oppose
imperialist subjugation must necessarily support the PCC? And do you
really think that all Cubans who oppose the PCC are necessarily
pro-Yankees? Why should it be the case that among the Palestinians there
exist different parties with different world views but all united in
opposing Zionism but among Cubans there can be only a single party
opposing imperialism? This does not make sense.
I definitely oppose the legal existence of pro-Yankee parties in Cuba as
I oppose the legal existence of pro-Zionist forces in Palestine. But I
am in favour of legal freedom for all forces who oppose U.S. imperialism
but don't necessarily support the regime. Unfortunately, Castroism
suppressed all other left-wing forces from the very beginning (including
the Cuban Trotskyists).
Am 15.05.2026 um 08:51 schrieb John Edmundson via groups.io:
Michael wrote:
"Hamas did certainly not establish democracy in the besieged enclave
of Gaza (much more besieged than Cuba ever was). But it allowed
various other secular and religious parties with different positions
and ideologies to exist, to hold public rallies, to have armed
militias, etc. (PFLP, DFLP, PIJ, Popular Resistance Committees, etc.).
In contrast, the Cuban regime allows only the existence of a single
party - the ruling PCC."
This is comparing apples to oranges. Would you suggest the Cubans
allow other parties to compete in elections? The US would pour
billions of dollars into ensuring that their horse won. It would be
absolutely unacceptable to the US that the PCC win an election in
Cuba. We know what happened when it looked like the Vietnamese
Communists would win an election. Why would it be different 90 miles
from Florida? Would Hamas permit a party that openly advocated for the
interests of Israel, to argue for the annexation of Gaza and the
expulsion of "troublesome" Palestinians, such as members of Hamas, the
PFLP, DFLP, PIJ, Popular Resistance Committees, etc? Would you condemn
Hamas if such a group attempted to organise and was repressed? Of
course the Palestinian struggle at this point is a national, more than
a purely class struggle, so Palestinians would probably act against
such a group without the need for Hamas intervention, but the point
remains.
Michael wrote:
"Furthermore, the Palestinian resistance has fought against the
imperialist aggressor five wars since 2008 ... and survived under huge
sacrifices even the genocidial war in the last three years. What has
been the record of the Cuban regime in fighting imperialism in the
past two decades?"
The Palestinian resistance is fighting for its survival on its land.
The various factions have differing views about how a future
Palestinian society might best be organised but they are united in
their goal of defeating the Zionist aggressor. The Cubans are fighting
to save their revolution. That is very different. Political parties
other than the PCC would include well funded groups dedicated to the
overthrow of the revolution. It would be great if more freedom existed
in Cuba to challenge decisions, propose alternatives etc. But the
country is under siege.
Comradely,
John
--
"All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks."
Sarah Moore Grimke, abolitionist (1792-1873)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group.
View/Reply Online (#41725): https://groups.io/g/marxmail/message/41725
Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/119270444/21656
-=-=-
POSTING RULES & NOTES
#1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message.
#2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived.
#3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern.
#4 Do not exceed five posts a day.
-=-=-
Group Owner: [email protected]
Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/marxmail/leave/13617172/21656/1316126222/xyzzy
[[email protected]]
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
