With a gathering storm of uncertain change looming on Cuba’s horizon, preparations are being made in the upper echelons of power, both in Washington and Havana, for the next phase in the history of Cuba. Speculations abound regarding successors, the prospects for a democratic transition, and the possibilities of violent conflict or civil war. In […]

In a perfectly free-market environment, trade between countries occurs when private actors in those countries find it mutually advantageous to trade. Governments are involved only in that they create the market conditions that minimize transactions costs, thus maximizing the opportunities for mutually advantageous gain. In the real world, of course, governments do engage in all […]

Notes1 On January 1, 2004, Fidel Castro marked his fortyfifth year as the president and dominant ruler of Cuba, one of the world’s few remaining communist states. Aged 78 as of August of 2004, he is the longest serving head of government in the world, and only the Queen of England can claim a longer […]

Notes1 Cuba has made an effort to transform its state-run commercial agriculture system into an environmentally- friendly and viable organic-oriented agricultural production system. A growing literature discusses the Cuban experience of the last decade as a new Cuban agricultural revolution. What happened in Cuba? What did Cuba do? Why was it done? What factors will […]

Notes1 Developing or reforming legal institutions in postcommunist societies is a long-term priority in any comprehensive reform strategy. At the outset of the transition from communism to capitalism in Eastern Europe more than 14 years ago, reforming the legal system was not the main focus of international donors, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or reformers inside the […]