Venezuelan Middle Class Flees

Venezuela was a South American Cuba pre-Castro style. Well developed, happy upwardly mobile middle class, good infrastructure... a crowning achievement of a huge bridge built in 1953 collapsed recently from a complete lack of maintainance, my doc tells me it is symbolic of what has happened.
 
So by that ratio Bulldogg, the Cuba from Batista's days would also have been called a "developed country"? I'll see if I can find the most often used indicators for measuring a country's development standard. A gdp isn't enough by a long shot. Social mobility and a well maintained infra structure are though, so you might be right.
 
That depends, again, on what socio-economic indicators are used. And Cuba could have been underdeveloped under Batista and even more under developed under Castro....
 
Italian Guy said:
Compared to the rest of the region it was developed then and underdeveloped today.

I'll have a look into this this weekend, see if I can find some good figures on the topic. Let's see if I can change your point of view on this topic. I'll keep politics and the lot out of it, alright?
 
You are right IG. I'll leave this thread be and start a new one. First research and then my thread.
 
Cuba during Batista's days was a devolped country.

Cuba had the first three color TV stations in the western hemisphere. Cuba actaully had AMerican Automobile companies release their cars in the Cuban market for before they were released in the American market. Cuba was the place to be.

Night Clubs, Hotels, beaches, and business. Cuba was the main source for Sugar back then too. Cuba's Sugar Cane Farms were the world's best. Also the tobacco farms and tobacco factories were top notch.

American and European businesses loved Cuba.

Sorry Ted, Cuba was one of the leading nations in the Western Himesphere other than Canada and the USA before the days of Castro.

I know, I WAS THERE AND SO WAS MY FAMILY.
 
21, but my grandparents are still alive.

And many of the older folks that came here during the 1960s have informed me of Cuba's Pre Castro History.
 
This is very sad.Colombia and the US started a coup in 2002 but it failed.Know this fool is going the way Fidel went...God help them.
 
5.56X45mm said:
21, but my grandparents are still alive.

And many of the older folks that came here during the 1960s have informed me of Cuba's Pre Castro History.

But this is also the group that fled for Castro (however justified, because they were in peril). These peopel are more likely to say that Batista's days were better.... Not to insult you, but to ask political refugees to give an objective view on the land that they fled.... well, that is harldy possible.

I grant you that economically things went down the drain, but a developmental indicator is also the form of governance. And one can hardly say that Batista was a democratic, public opinion loving, care taker of the predicament of the political opponents.
 
public opinion loving, care taker of the predicament of the political opponents.

Shall we atke a public opinion poll of now under castros leadership. And at almost all times during history, good economy = happienss.
 
Well you are right initially. Take Singapore for example. They have "good governance" and a good economy tied to stringent rules. More and more rumours get out though, that the affluent people of Singapore would like more civil liberties. What good is money when you are hemmed in on all the things you can spend in on?
Besides I know that Castro hasn't been the blessing he proclaims to be... actually he's quite far off the mark. That is beyond a debate, but I am saying the things weren't peachy under Batista either. The point I picked up was: a)the economy was better under Batista, therefor automatically b) people were happier under Batista.

Things might have been true for some, but this were generally the people who ended up fleeing the country when Castro came to power.
 
If things had been perfect there would have been no revolution.

But do tell how many people risked the shark infested waters in home made rafts trying to get to the USA during Batista's reign??
 
Last edited:
Ted said:
Things might have been true for some, but this were generally the people who ended up fleeing the country when Castro came to power.
Same thing happened in Viet Nam and Albania, where people fled the communist paradises to find shelter and freedom in the capitalist countries.
Only thing is: It is not automatic that those who fled were those who wanted to flee and those who remained wanted to remain. There were people with not enough money to pay for the boat, to corrupt the cop, there were people who didn't want to leave some dear one in jail. There were handicapped people who could not leave. Not every father could risk the life of their newborn babies. Not everyone lived in areas that were by to the ocean or had contacts with boat owners. Hence you can't really say they "were generally the people who ended up fleeing the country". Those who stay can't be heard, and you fall for Castro's game.
Do we have stories of hundreds of thousands of boat-people fleeing Batista's Cuba?
 
Back
Top