Today, the political, military, and ideological problem of this country is looking for food. […] We must be clear about one thing: if there is food for the people, the risks do not matter.—Raúl Castro, September 28, 1994 (1997: 466) As we went through the makeshift front door of Central Havana’s “Paladar Las Doce Sillas” […]
An Analysis of Decree-Law No. 171 on Private Home Rentals
The rental of rooms in private Cuban homes was not included among the original 1993 list of allowed selfemployed occupations because such activity was already legal at the time under a previous 1988 law (General Housing Law No. 65, article 74). That law allowed Cubans to freely rent up to two rooms in their own […]
Last Resort or Bridge to the Future? Tourism and Workers in Cuba’s Second Economy
Notes1 It’s good the competence this has brought. It’s good that these markets and self-employment have taught people a little bit of capitalism…But we have to think of how to do things correctly…Some [of these selfemployed] earn more in a day than our honored teachers earn in a month. —Fidel Castro (Peters 1997: 5) [I]nformality […]