Co-operativism and Local Development in Cuba consists of a series of pathbreaking essays on the role of co-operativism, and the new co-operatives, in the democratic transformation of Cuba and the government’s plan to update the model in the current context. The contributors are well-known specialists on Cuba, co-operativism and local development. With a shared concern for how an increased focus on co-operativism and local development can contribute to the updating of the Cuban model and the advance of socialism, the contributors to the book have placed an analysis of the issues involved in the broader context of the international co-operative movement and the ongoing capitalist development process in Latin America.
Contributors include: Milford Bateman, Al Campbell, Grizel Donéstevez Sánchez, Cliff DuRand, Olga Fernández Ríos, Julio C. Gambina, Camila Piñeiro Harnecker, Sonja Novković, Dayrelis Ojeda Suris, Gabriela Roffinelli, Frederick. S. Royce, Dean Sinković, Henry Veltmeyer, Marcelo Vieta.
Sonja Novković, PhD (1993), is Professor of Economics at Saint Mary's University (Halifax, Canada) and teaches in the Co-operative Management Education (CME) program. Recent publications include Co-operatives in a Post-growth Era: Creating Co-operative Economics (ZED Books, 2014).
Henry Veltmeyer, PhD (1976), McMaster University, is Professor of Development Studies at Autonomous University of Zacatecas (Mexico) and Professor Emeritus in International Development Studies at Saint Mary’s University (Halifax, Canada). He has authored and edited over 40 books on issues of Latin American development.
"This volume brings together an array of social scientists who reflect on the emergence of a new form of co-operativism in Cuba as part of a wider reform agenda. The contributions in the book examine the progression of co-operativism in Cuba in a historical context as well as its current manifestation and potential for transforming Cuba’s economy. This is a timely and relevant contribution to understanding co-operatives and other social and solidarity economy entities as part of a broad effort to create an alternative to neoliberalism not only in Cuba but also in the larger Latin America region."
--Simel Esim, Cooperatives Programme, ILO, www.ilo.org/coop
"A timely, candid and sober multidisciplinary appraisal of how an already solidarity-oriented society like Cuba might be prepared and challenged to take the next crucial steps to develop a truly worker co-operative-based socialism."
--Peter Ranis, Professor Emeritus Political Science, City University of New York
Figures and Tables Notes on Contributors
Introduction: Updating the Cuban Model
1Building Alternatives Beyond Capital Julio C. Gambina and Gabriela Roffinelli
2The Social and Solidarity Economy in Latin America Henry Veltmeyer
3New Co-operativism in Latin America: Implications for Cuba Marcelo Vieta
4The New Guidelines: Economic Changes and Its Political and Social Impact Olga Fernández Ríos
5Co-operatives in Socialist Construction Cliff DuRand
6Co-operativism in Cuba Prior to 2012 Grizel Donéstevez Sánchez
7Agricultural Production Co-operatives in Cuba: Toward Sustainability Frederick S. Royce
8Cuba’s Co-operative Sector and the Project of Deep Reforms Al Campbell
9Co-operatives in Cuba’s New Socio-economic Model: What Has been Done and What Could be Done? Camila Piñeiro Harnecker
10The Role of Co-operatives in Transforming Cuba’s Economy Sonja Novković
11Supporting Co-operative Development in Cuba: Getting the Local Institutions Right Milford Bateman, Dayrelis Ojeda Suris and Dean Sinković
Conclusion Index
All those interested in co-operatives and co-operative management, as well as Cuba, the political economy and sociology of development, and comparative economic systems.