1. Communist and CapitalistDilemma 1
The Communist and Capitalist Dilemma
Pablo Cárdenas
October 22, 2009

2. Communist and CapitalistDilemma 2
Abstract
Communism and Capitalism are two different political ideologies. Cuba has adopted Communism and
Honduras Capitalism. The Cuban government has granted free healthcare, education, and food, yet they do not
have several rights such as freedom of speech. Honduras, in the other hand, does give freedoms, but does not
provide anything needed to survive. Even though both countries depict an interesting opportunity, many
patterns have reflected that Cubans are migrating to Honduras looking for the prosperity that Cuba denied, as
well as Hondurans moving to Cuba in search for these privileges. How important are the three factors provided
by Cuba? Is freedom really important when there is no healthy environment, adequate diet, or appropriate
education? Can Hondurans really give up being free and enjoying of free enterprise? The Cuban government
does exhibit a really interesting offer especially because the ascending prices of these necessities are constantly
limiting the life quality a family can have. Cuba makes a far better country than Honduras.
Keywords: Communism, Capitalism, free healthcare, education, food, freedom.

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Political doctrines have been forged through the years by the arousing needs of civilization that are
constantly changing. These institutions are set in order to keep stability and an appropriate development of
economical, social, and cultural aspects. A dogma that reached the most crucial point and most power in the
twentieth century was Communism. Cuba adopted the political affiliation under the Communist Party of Cuba,
whose prime secretary is Fidel Castro. Since then, Cuban citizens have been granted free healthcare, education,
and food (basic grains), but most of their rights, regarding to freedom of expression and action as well as
choosing the political leaders, have been limited. Another political ideology that had recently dominated the
systems in most countries of the world is Capitalism. This doctrine suggests liberated economic and social
activities. A country that adopted a neo-capitalist government since the late 1980’s, after the last military
regime turned in the power of the government, is Honduras. A dilemma has arouse when talking about these
two countries with different political systems because, according to the Democratic Cuban Director, many
Honduran have migrated to Cuba looking for prosperity as well as Cubans migrate to Honduras searching the
same goal("Grupohumanitario del," ). Why are people running away from their nation? Will people give up
freedom to have healthcare and free education? Why Cubans come to Honduras leaving all those privileges?
Why will Honduran reject freedom? People, from both Honduras and Cuba, should better choose living in Cuba
rather than living in Honduras.
According to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, three primary needs that humans would
tend to cover are health, education, and food ("Food, Nutrition, & Health," ). Cuban government has been able
to successfully create an optimum healthcare with great technologies available. In the Quality in Primary Care,
Offredy and Maxine stated that the effectiveness of the system has become so great that medicines in United
States that may cost up to $90 in Cuba they cost $3 (Offredy, & Maxine, 2008).Why is it so cheap? Cuban
medical systems have also contributed to the development of effective vaccines and other medicines. In an
article written by Cuba IPV Study Collaborative Group the exceptional advances are exposed:
In April 2007, the Cuba IPV Study Collaborative Group reported in the New England Journal of
Medicine that inactivated (killed) poliovirus vaccine was effective in vaccinating children in tropical
conditions. The Collaborative Group consisted of the Cuban Ministry of Public Helath, KouríInstitut,

4. Communist and CapitalistDilemma 4
U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, Pan American Health Organization, and the World
Health Organization(Randal, 2007).
Free and excellent education provided in the country is also attractive to new comers. Cuba has been able to
establish a governmental systemthat provides one of the best educations in the world(Gradson).The literacy
rate, considered one of the highest, has increased to a 99.8% because the program set by Castro was
successfully accomplished(Quiroz). An article written by Wally and Barbara Smith addressed the efficacy of
the program:
They knew the literacy brigades were helping solidify Castro´s support among the peasantry,
so the young volunteers were terrorized and at least one was murdered. But the campaign
succeeded anyway. Practically overnight, Cuba´s literacy rate rose to 97% and it´s now a little
higher than that. By the way, the average Cuban´s knowledge of the U.S. and of the world
events is astonishing(Smith, & Smith, 2000).
Social life is leveled in the amount of income and supplies they receive. Nova Gonzales talks about the system
in Overview of Cuba's Food Rationing System:
According to Nova González (2000a, p. 146), it has been estimated that, on average, the
rationed market supplies around 61% of the calories, 65% of the vegetable proteins, 36% of
the animal proteins, and 38% of the fats of the daily diet of the Cuban population. Two issues
have to be pointed out here(Álvarez, 2006).
Every month people are supplied with packages of basic grains such as rice, beans, corn meal, and flour.
Everybody is able to eat food that allows survival. People have all these granted, their lives are almost assured.
Would it worth giving up freedom?
Milton Friedman says that freedom is a vital necessity that humans are always seeking (Friedman,
1982). How important is freedom? Living in Honduras will grant that possibility. People in this country are free
to publish their ideas in public press when they reject a governmental decision. In Cuba when people react
against the government they end up being put in jail. An anonymous author wrote the following in International
Amnesty which was later published in the Havana Journal:

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The increasing number of people jailed for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of
expression, clearly demonstrates the level to which the government will go in order to weaken
the political opposition and suppress dissidents("Cuba: New wave," 2001).
Free enterprise is another quality available in Honduras. Companies, which are private property, are able to
trade, import, and export freely. An example of this is the Free Trade Agreement which allows Honduras to
move their products as pleased(Tratado de Libre, 1999). Cuba is not a participant of such commercial freedom
especially because it was expelled by the Organization of American States in February 1962 (Heguy, 2002).
Can a human live with limited freedoms? Many people, especially Cubans, argue that freedom is the primary
right that must exist.
However Honduras has encountered many negative aspects that can threaten such idealistic life and
Cuba feels requisites attractive to the population. On June 28, 2009 the President was victim of a coup
(Sánchez, 2009). This political instability has caused the government to coerce those who are against(Girvan,
2009). Cuba is also generating so much jobs that the unemployment rate is of 1,6% ("Cuba. The World”,
2007)meanwhile in Honduras is of 27,8%("Honduras. The World," 2007).Larry Luxner published in the Cuba
News an article placing Cuba in the 52ndin terms of life quality:
This year's report puts Cuba 52nd in terms of life expectancy, educational attainment and adjusted real
income. Not bad, considering that Cuba scored higher than Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, Bulgaria,
Malaysia, Russia, Brazil, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and the Dominican Republic, to name a
few(Luxner, 2003).
Cuba exceeds the prosperity offered in Honduras reassuring the thesis statement that it would be better to live in
Cuba with no freedom than in Honduras with freedom.
Would it be fantastic to have free healthcare, education, and food? Would people be able to trade
freedom for such privileges? As humans expect to survive in this world they might do such thing. In order for
humans to survive they must fulfill these needs. Living in Honduras would not grant you with free health,
education, and food, you will rather have to work and if you are lucky enough, be able to succeed in acquiring
everything. So how important is freedom if you are not able to have all to survive? According to the theory of

6. Communist and CapitalistDilemma 6
Natural Selection humans are always seeking for survival (Ghiselin, 2006). Then can you really give up freely
expressing your ideas? Everything that people need is provided in the Cuban government that is why a
Honduran or Cuban would have a better life in Cuba.

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