The buck stops where?

The Times reported yesterday on the latest announcement in Raul Castro's string of changes to Cuba's stagnant economic structure.

The most recent aspect of his shift from the socialism of his elder brother allows farmers access to government land to privately farm up to 99 acres. More so than the bureaucratic fat-trimming he promised when he took office, the new policy reflects a substantive shift away from outdated ideology, ill-advised borrowing, and staggering inefficiency.

The successes of China and the domestic and international umbrage towards Chavez may have awakened Raul that he needs to move beyond his brother's policies. His attempts to revitalize the economy and allow for private enterprise are a step in the right direction. It's a wise move for his political stature and the fate of his countrymen.

We should not get too excited as the government will still own the land and political freedoms are still woefully inadequate. We can only hope that with economic liberalization, political space will soon open up. I'll leave you with a quote from Raul struck me as quite insightful to the state of Cuba and his vision.

“Socialism means social justice and equality, but equality of rights, of opportunities, not of income...equality is not egalitarianism.”