Democracy in Cuba and the USSR (1 Viewer)

[LeftyHenry]

Recently I came across these articles and thought they'd make an interesting topic. I will post this exact same topic on a leftist forum and post some of their reactions if this topic goes cold.

The first is about how democracy in Cuba works

Link here

Here's a passage

People's Power

I visited one of the local PP headquarters in one region of Havana (Havana is divided into regions, each of which elects its own PP assembly). This region was divided in turn into 22 electoral districts, each comprising about four square blocks, and including about eight CDRs. Each district elects one representative to the regional PP.

Each CDR calls a meeting of the citizens on its block to discuss and make nominations for the election to the local PP. These are discussed among the CDRs in the district, and eventually the final list of candidates is drawn up. There must be at least two candidates and fewer than eight nominated. The elections are by direct and secret ballot of the citizens in the district.

The CP doesn't nominate candidates. Candidates are nominated and elected by their neighbours. Anyone who is over 16 years old can stand.

The style of the elections is quite different from those in the US or Australia, where big money dominates. A short biography of each candidate is posted in public places in the district. This, and discussions among the citizens, are the only "campaigning" done, so the candidates don't have to raise any money to campaign.

The PP elects a small body made up of a president and a vice-president and some other posts, who are paid for working full time as the day-by-day government of the region.

Each continues to receive the wages they were getting in their jobs before they were elected, and their jobs are held open for them for when they leave the PP. They are elected for a term of two and a half years.

Accountability

Another feature of the electoral system is that everyone elected at any level of government may be recalled at any time by his or her electors. This happens fairly often, from what we were told. In one region of Havana, every president was recalled since 1976, except the present one.

In addition to the 22 elected members of the PP I visited, there are nine other members appointed by the mass organisations, one each for the CP, the Federation of Cuban Women, the CDRs, the trade unions and so on. The PP tends to work by consensus.

Here's the link to Democracy in the USSR

Link Here

Here's some passages

Prior to the Stalin Constitution of 1936 Soviet citizens only chose their local (town or village) representatives, who in turn elected some of their number to the rayon soviet. Indirect election of this kind went on right up to the Supreme Soviet, but since 1936 there has been direct election to all soviets, guaranteed in Article 134 of the Stalin Constitution. This declares that the Deputies to all soviets “are elected by the electors on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage, by secret ballot.”

Elections to city, town, and village soviets take place every two years—and every four years to higher bodies.

Prior to 1936, elections had been “open”—by show of hands at relatively small gatherings, usually in the factories or other places of work.
Since 1936 the elections have been by secret ballot, and on a territorial basis as in Britain, in place of the industrial basis. Factory units still meet as a kind of discussion group, and are very active in stimulating election interest. They often nominate candidates and submit requests to be dealt with by the soviet.

The people previously excluded from the franchise (priests, etc.) now have the vote, two categories alone excepted. This broadening of the democratic basis of Soviet society is assured in Article 135 of the Constitution:—

 

[Volker]

The problem with both mentioned examples is, that people can not simply go and found organizations. Therefore you usually don't have a power outside the leading party to actually compete.

The elected candidates are persons, who don't represent oppositional organizations.
This limits their power and their independance from the government.

 

[LeftyHenry]

The problem with both mentioned examples is, that people can not simply go and found organizations. Therefore you usually don't have a power outside the leading party to actually compete.

The elected candidates are persons, who don't represent oppositional organizations.
This limits their power and their independance from the government.

Well you actually can run for office outside of the CP but yeah you can't be too radical for change...

 

[Volker]

Well you actually can run for office outside of the CP but yeah you can't be too radical for change...

Yes, exactly, this is my concern about the systems which actually became reality so far. In East Germany we had elections, too. Sometimes important positions like foreign ministers were given to candidates from other parties. The power of these parties were limited by the election system. It was probably the same for independent candidates.