Society

Is Cuban cab driver earning more than Cuban doctor?

So how is a cab driver is earning more than a doctor in Cuba? It does sound funny, doesn’t it? Well when Fidel Castro was having dictatorship In Cuba, he terminated all the private sector. That means that private sector was finished, finished means 0%. From a huge multi-million company to private Street shop, all were now under control of the government. Fidel Castro thought that by terminating private sector and bringing it under control of government will help the country’s economy but, things didn’t get that simple.

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At that time, Cuba was getting its supplies from USSR. The bond between Cuba and USSR at that time was very strong, history witnesses. Now, this affected a lot the people of the nation, Fidel Castro now turned his desirable rate on everything, from a car to common bread, everything was now under the decision of Castro. He believed that by doing this and converting everyone as employees of the country can bring unity but of course, he was wrong. He tried to set a particular salary for everyone throughout the country. So, people worked at places but were completely given wage. People can have higher or lower post but they can’t be ‘owner’ of that particular area. decades passed, USSR felt apart. Now Cuba was not getting any supplies and resources from USSR. This was a breaking point for the country. From this, Cuba’s economy started falling apart. The Cuban government was familiar that now changes had to be made. So in the early 21st century, they started privatizing. They started giving license for little various small occupations like Streetside restaurant, cab drivers etc. As we all know that Cuba is having huge tourism. This brings that there is also huge demand in tourist-related occupations like cab drivers and Street food carts. Now, licence for these services sectors was in huge demand.

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Turnover- now cab drivers can ask for as many dollars as much as they want. That doesn’t mean that they will ask for billion dollars but yes they can ask like as much as they think that tourist will be happy to pay. Now, this would be probably more than doctors. Same for a small restaurant, they enjoyed labeling their desired value for there meal in menus. Whereas the doctors are still under government’s controlled salary which is not satisfactory. Same is happening with engineers, architect, accounts etc. It means that most of the blue collar jobs are now privatized and most of the white collar jobs are still under control of government fixed salary system. the government also owns restaurants but they are not that active, they have very fewer supplies and have more chefs than customers because the supplies that need to cook food are limited and only a few dishes can be made out of it.where on the other hand, private restaurants have more interactive food which attracts customers. Also, people who are working under government don’t really take their job seriously, exceptions are there but they usually don’t take their job seriously because they know that whether they will work with the spirit or not, they will be still paid same.

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This is making white-collar employees get converted into blue-collar employees. Of course! Over there they can get Their desired and satisfactory salary which they are not getting in white collar sector.It’s sad to see that a country which is having one of the highest literacy rate(99.8%) is going through this. It won’t take a genius to recognize that maybe Cuba is suffering through one of the major economic crises, as what could be the worse than the someone who is qualified to be a doctor had to be a cab driver just because he is earning more.

At last, this only means that from this the country’s economy will go down but won’t rise. The government needs to take some urgent concern over it or we all know what can happen next.

(Note- Updates on the topic after the date of publishing have not been recorded.)

29 thoughts on “Is Cuban cab driver earning more than Cuban doctor?”

  4. I see nothing wrong with a cab driver earning the same as a doctor. (Or more, if he works for it) Because someone has the advantages or ability to train as a doctor doesn’t make them any more of a better person than the man cleaning the sewers. They are equally valuable to society.
    And you describe Castro as a dictator, without referencing the corrupt system his revolution replaced; the vile Batista, and his US-backed team of gangsters and secret police who were in alliance with both the Mafia, and the CIA. Since the revolution, Cuba has enjoyed one of the highest literacy rates in the world, and greater equality for women. They endured decades of blockades and embargoes, and survived against the most powerful country on Earth.
    If Cuba faces a slump in its economy, that will be because the new administration has allowed America to influence its future once again, and accepted Obama’s supposed ‘hand of friendship’. But it is refreshing to see someone in India even bothering to write something about Cuba. You might be interested in the film ‘Soy Cuba’ (I am Cuba) from 1964, if you are able to watch it.
    Thanks for following my blog, which is much appreciated.
    Best wishes from England, Pete.

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    1. I totally agree with you that there is nothing bad if a cab driver earns more than doctor. This is just a factual blog, and this happens pretty rare in the world. And what I think is that being dictator is not bad, who says that dictatorships is bad, there are some dictator which made us think that dictatorship is bad, Cuba have high literacy rate during to him, hats off to him, and if you will still say then I will make changes in my blog,
      Thank you, greetings

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  10. Well done young man!

    At one time, Cuba had the highest rate of doctors per capita in the world. Problem was, as you pointed out, there were no jobs for them. So it was the tourism industry where they could make their money. Amazing.

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  14. In Mexico there’s a popular saying attributed to Porfirio Diaz, a 30 year dictator of Mexico who said: ‘Poor Mexico, so far from God, but so close to the United States of America!’
    Well, Cuba endure the same affliction, Cuba it’s only 105 miles south.
    And like Mexico, and the rest of Latin America, they suffer from the particular powerful interest, and special close oversight from that nation who undermines their sovereignty, and their right to choose, and pursue their own destiny, without constant meddling, and interference from their powerful neighbor up North. 🙂

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