Reporting
Photos: Cuba’s Inequality
When the Cuban Revolution triumphed on January 1, 1959, it wasn’t just a change in politics, but rather an effort to change the very structure of society. Using a term coined by Che Guevara, they called it the “New Man": a new human morality based on principles of fairness and selflessness. It was a process that electrified many Cubans—especially those previously marginalized in society—and brought landmark achievements in health, education, and social justice.
But much changed for Cuba in 1990, as the Soviet Union was collapsing and its Revolutionary government faced economic abyss. Cuban officials decided they had to sacrifice some principles in order to survive. Fidel Castro called it a “deal with the Devi," and it opened the island to foreign investment, created a lucrative tourist industry, and resulted in an inevitable economic and social inequality.
Today in Cuba, there exists both notable equalities and notable inequalities—some of which have persisted since 1959 and others that gained traction in 1990.
Concert, University of Havana—Access to culture is a right guaranteed in the Cuban constitution. Free outdoor concerts are common and most cultural events, like baseball games, theater performances, and cinemas, have entrance prices that are cheap even by Cuban standards. Here, pop group, Moneda Dura, performs at a concert celebrating the anniversary of Cuba’s victory over the 1961 U.S.-sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion.
Calixto Garcia Hospital, Havana—The Cuban Revolution sought to create “spheres of equality”—concrete arenas in which all Cubans would have the same rights and privileges. One of the most important was health. In the 1950s, Cuba was a country with Western living standards for a privileged elite but abject poverty for the majority. Before the Revolution, the life expectancy for Cubans was under 60 years, a rate typical for Third World countries. The country’s current life expectancy is about 77 years, while its infant mortality rate is 5.1 per 1,000 live births—a rate well below the United States’s 6.3 per 1,000. In a 2006 Gallup poll, over 70 percent of Cubans expressed their satisfaction with the country’s health services.
In 1959, shortly after the Revolution took power, all beaches were made public. The act demonstrated to many Cubans that a new day had finally come: no longer would North American tourism have a privileged place in Cuban society. But in the 1990s, big tourist hotels again began claiming prime beach space. The beach above is on one of the Cayos in Villa Clara province—small islands off the shore of mainland Cuba—which are primarily developed for tourism.
Galerias de Paseo, Havana—One of the most drastic changes introduced in the 1990s was the legalization of the United States dollar. In 2004, dollar circulation was terminated and replaced with the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC)—pegged to the dollar minus a 10 percent tax for conversion from USD—but the dual currency system remained. Most Cubans receive their salary in moneda nacional, but many shops catering to tourists and affluent Cubans only accept CUC, and have a selection far wider than other stores. The sodas in this supermarket cost 50 cents CUC, a steep price for many Cubans.
House, Havana—On the streets of Havana, homelessness is virtually nonexistent. Many Cubans applaud the law that prevents homes from being bought and sold, and thus prevents individuals from accumulating more than their fair share of houses. (Families seeking to relocate find another homeowner interested in swapping, and register the change with the government.) However, housing standards are a major problem in the larger cities, with many homes in poor condition.
Abandoned building, Sancti Spritus—Remnants of a relatively recent past in the city center.
Hotel Meliá, Cayo Santa Maria—A luxurious resort on Cayo Santa Maria. Most guests are Canadian tourists, and they relax in comfort amid multiple pools, bars, restaurants, and lounges—along with a beach and a nightclub. Here, virtually the only Cubans are hotel employees; their jobs are highly sought-after because they provide access to tips in CUC, and therefore an increased salary. However, all employees have to know English; little Spanish is spoken here. Many tourists fly in and fly out without ever actually leaving the Cayo, and therefore without seeing anything that resembles daily life in Cuba.
Beach, Cojímar—A young boy runs with a makeshift kite.
After school, Trinidad—Education, along with health, is a great source of pride in post-Revolutionary Cuba. After 1959, access to education was drastically expanded. In 2007, Cuba scholar Julia Sweig wrote in Foreign Affairs that “Public education became accessible to the entire population, allowing older generations of illiterate peasants to watch their children and grandchildren become doctors and scientists.” All Cubans now attend school up to ninth grade, and all higher education is free. Sweig says that it’s one of the main ways “the Cuban state truly has served the poor underclass rather than catering to the domestic elite and its American allies.”
Estadio Latinoamericano, Havana—The Industriales, Havana’s baseball team and Cuba's 2010 National Champions, play on a Saturday afternoon. Athletics are another important sphere of equality in Cuba.
Bodega, Camagüey—Another sphere of equality is nutrition. All Cubans receive basic food supplies—as well as necessities like toothpaste—from the government in the form of rations. Above, inside the window of a bodega, the shops where the goods are distributed.
CUC shop, Havana—While tourist money has flowed since 1990, the changes have brought more social stratification among Cubans, as well. The difference in salaries has increased, especially for those in the tourist industry. Self-employed workers (both formal and informal) have the potential to make more money than the typical Cuban. And remittances from family abroad have deepened inequalities. Here, a chain chicken joint that sells food in CUC.
Cards, Cojimar—A group of men play cards, an inexpensive, familiar way to pass the time.
Linea Street, Havana—“Revolution is never lying, or violating ethical principles.”
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