Principles Are Worth More Than Life Itself

Principles Are Worth More Than Life ItselfIn this 1994 speech, Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro outlines the road on which Cuba must proceed to retain its sovereignty, independence and revolution. He outlines what Cuba has done for the world in education, health care, international solidarity and the fight against racist apartheid, in contrast to the death and destruction which U. S. imperialism has brought through colonialism and neo colonialism, terror against Indigenous peoples, coups,

In this 1994 speech, Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro outlines the road on which Cuba must proceed to retain its sovereignty, independence and revolution. He outlines what Cuba has done for the world in education, health care, international solidarity and the fight against racist apartheid, in contrast to the death and destruction which U.S. imperialism has brought through colonialism and neo-colonialism, terror against Indigenous peoples, coups, much of these crimes occurring in the Americas. In this period, U.S. imperialism and its global institutions talk about "human rights" as a weaponized term against the independent countries, but it is they who hold back the human personality from flourishing, Fidel points out. With the end of the bipolar world, the need to change arose for Cuba. It needed foreign capital to cope with the blockade in this special period; autarchy would have been a plan for failure. But it also needed to defend the revolution, enshrine the right of electors' equality and decision-making in the political process and other moves for further democratization, diversify its economy and keep the social relations of production in the main. The stark difference between the two worlds, capitalism and socialism, are as made as clear as possible in this speech. One is for imperialism, oppression, exploitation and ruling class mystification, the other road is with the people, the proletariat and all oppressed to make a bright future for themselves.

Today, we know how gravely pragmatism is rooted in opposition to the present system. Such opposition is elementary, sensuous and does not undertake a through-going study of the society. The issue is for us to transform society, not for society to transform us and put us in compliance with whatever "works" within this system. We have a new to create, a new that must adapt to the conditions at each stage of human development, whether we are yet to gain state power or already achieved it. This is what Cuba means at the present time, involving everyone in a nation-building project of looking at things soberly and figuring out how to proceed on this new road in a time when a whole world of enemies wants it to capitulate to the old. Fidel's words are just as relevant today as they were 28 years ago: "But weÕll say it here and now, dear friends. We will never return to capitalism! Not to savage capitalism... or to moderate capitalism, if this exists; we donÕt want to go back, and we wonÕt go back!"