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Cuba in transition : entrepreneurs, tourism and political compromise in Havana Taylor, Ariel Judith Stapleton
Abstract
Since the early 1990’s Havana, Cuba has undergone considerable socioeconomic transformation resulting from the legalization of some forms of private enterprise. Paladares, Cuban owned and operated restaurants, have emerged in Havana as a significant industry, fueled largely by both tourism and Havana’s second economy. The liberalization of Cuba’s domestic economy has, in turn, impacted social and political ideologies, particularly among Havana’s wealthiest paladar owners. Concerns and speculation about the future role of Communism in the country have made the role of paladares increasingly problematic for both researchers and political officials in the region. However, this research demonstrates that more modest paladar owners attempt to mediate principles of socialism and capitalism by largely acquiescing to stringent government regulations. Alternatively, their wealthy counterparts engage openly in illicit business practices, often with near impunity from Cuban officials now indentured to the financial dividends traded for toleration. This research spans four neighbourhoods across Havana and draws on interview data gathered from nine paladar owners and ten weeks of participant observation. This thesis argues that paladares are not antithetical with ongoing social security and political stability for Cuban people and that tourism along with the second economy it helps to enhance are themselves detrimental to many of the gains championed by Cuba’s revolution.
Item Metadata
Title |
Cuba in transition : entrepreneurs, tourism and political compromise in Havana
|
Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
|
Date Issued |
2011
|
Description |
Since the early 1990’s Havana, Cuba has undergone considerable socioeconomic
transformation resulting from the legalization of some forms of private enterprise. Paladares,
Cuban owned and operated restaurants, have emerged in Havana as a significant industry,
fueled largely by both tourism and Havana’s second economy. The liberalization of Cuba’s
domestic economy has, in turn, impacted social and political ideologies, particularly among
Havana’s wealthiest paladar owners. Concerns and speculation about the future role of
Communism in the country have made the role of paladares increasingly problematic for
both researchers and political officials in the region. However, this research demonstrates
that more modest paladar owners attempt to mediate principles of socialism and capitalism
by largely acquiescing to stringent government regulations. Alternatively, their wealthy
counterparts engage openly in illicit business practices, often with near impunity from Cuban
officials now indentured to the financial dividends traded for toleration. This research spans
four neighbourhoods across Havana and draws on interview data gathered from nine paladar
owners and ten weeks of participant observation. This thesis argues that paladares are not
antithetical with ongoing social security and political stability for Cuban people and that
tourism along with the second economy it helps to enhance are themselves detrimental to
many of the gains championed by Cuba’s revolution.
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Genre | |
Type | |
Language |
eng
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Date Available |
2011-08-25
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Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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Rights |
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
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DOI |
10.14288/1.0105151
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URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
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Graduation Date |
2011-11
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Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
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Rights URI | |
Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International