Cuban socialism at 60 : Old aspirations and new realities

Few revolutions have had such an impact in modern times as the Cuban Revolution in 1959. Numerous publications (books, articles, and dissertations) have been written about it. Opinions about it have diverged. The revolution has been an inspiration for many, contested and even detested by others. In 1961, the Cuban Revolution took a radical turn when Fidel Castro declared that the revolution was socialist and parliamentary elections were no longer on the agenda. This chapter is a review of major events, and turning points, in the life span of the now 60-year-old revolution. After the death of legendary and uncontested leader Fidel Castro, the island is confronted with a serious of problems and challenges-not least with a huge democratic deficit

Universities and inclusiveness : An overview

This concluding chapter gives an overview of social inclusiveness at universities in the 11 countries covered in this book. Which are the most important obstacles for young people to do higher education studies, why do such obstacles remain, and what, if anything, is being done about it? One interesting aspect of the country studies is the difference when it comes to the role of private universities and other higher education institutions (HEIs). In some countries enrolments in private universities are quite sizable, at par with public universities. In other countries private higher education is nil or negligible. There are as a rule tougher access criteria at private HEIs than at public HEIs. This goes above all for tuition fees that can be very high at private HEIs, which means that most families cannot afford to send their children to private schools. It is true that the higher tuition is often justifi ed by the quality of teaching being considered better in private HEIs, but this is not always the case. The chapter also discusses which facilities are available to students to fi nance their studies: government and other stipends, and/or loans at preferential conditions

The standard of living in Latin America during the twentieth century

New and consistent series for Latin American real incomes, life expectancy and adult literacy over the twentieth century reveal that living standards rose most rapidly between the nineteen-thirties and -seventies, a period characterised by increased state intervention and reduced trade openness. Within the region, Brazil and Mexico advanced most over the century as a whole despite the early start made by Argentina and Chile, although convergence between larger countries was accompanied by divergence from smaller ones. There was no sustained narrowing of the income gap with the US at all between 1900 and 2000 but some convergence in living standards due to improved life expectancy. Our new estimates of regional per capita income also permit a clearer comparison with both Europe and Asia. The major advances in living standards achieved in the middle decades of the century were closely related to early industrialisation, rapid urbanisation and the extension of primary health and education. Subsequent economic volatility and fiscal fragility limited further increases in living standards, undermining social consensus on development strategy