"How the sudden availability of mobile internet in Cuba makes these protests absolutely unprecedented, and gives them a ghost of a chance of succeeding.
Also, a summary of the crazy way Cuban internet works." #Cuba
https://www.thepullrequest.com/p/the-contrarevolucion-will-be-livestreamed
So I believe the only reason for poor Cuba connectivity is precisely what authoritarian regimes around the world were always doing - prevent its people from accessing information and working remotely.
Cuba has a long history in exploiting its people for what accounts to forced labour:
1) prevent your citizens from leaving the country
2) hire their labour to outside countries
3) keep most of the profits.
@kravietz
"According to a report by Prisoners Defenders, a Spain-based NGO that campaigns for human rights in Cuba and is linked to the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) opposition group..."
A classic example of propaganda seeded into news media via astroturf "NGO" groups. To be taken with a pretty big grain of salt.
A fundamental question when talking about countries such as Eastern Bloc or Cuba is — can its citizens freely leave their country?
The answer determines everything else.
If you can't leave your country, the whole further debate on advantages or disadvantages of its system is pointless, isn't it?
At least for the people living in that country, that is.
Because intellectuals worldwide will happily waste air debating how great that country is, and well, inability to leave it is a small price to pay.
And of course it's small, because they aren't those who pay it. Those who do pay it aren't even part of the debate.
As for China or Russia, these are closer to the authoritarian end of the spectrum in social and political terms, quite free economically, and you are free to leave these countries, which thousands of people still do.
Countries that aren't allowing its citizens to leave at will, such as NK or Cuba, have removed themselves from any political debate by walkover. Keeping their citizens hostage contradicts any arguments they could be raising in support of their systems.
@kravietz
You really think questions of political-economic structure can be reduced to simple dichotomies? Where does China fit in this schema?