Theory … “With feet on the Ground”

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.13169/intejcubastud.12.2.0176
• Pages: 176-195
• Published date: 01 December 2020
• Date: 01 December 2020
• Author: Jesús Pastor García Brigos
• Subject Matter: Socialist planning,the state, a vision of the future,the withering away of the state,public power – social power,communist social self-government,the work of governing in a socialist transformation

InternatIonal Journal of Cuban StudIeS 12.2 WInter 2020

ACADEMIC ARTICLE

THEORY. . . “WITH FEET ON THE

GROUND”1

Jesús Pastor García Brigos

Jesús Pastor García Brigos is an Investigador Titular in the Institute of Philosophy in

Havana. His teaching and research interests are focused on the state of development of

Cuban society; and in particular the relationships between the spheres of economic and

political activity; the Cuban state and democracy; and the government, governance in a

broad sense and popular participation. Three of his most recent books are Construcción

socialista y actualización del Modelo Económico; De Petrogrado al socialismo en Cuba.

Cien años después (co-author); and Poder popular, fundamentos y evolución de futuro.

Abstract

It is essential to develop the theory for the socialist transformation as the guide for

permanent development, based on experience and accumulated knowledge, to orient

our process of socialist socialisation with greater effectiveness and sustainability in

current and future conditions. This text reflects on and presents proposals on conceptual

elements present in the current Cuban process of transformations, and their expression

in the terms that appear in the Island’s governing documents, in the first place the

new Magna Carta. We focus our attention on state work in socialist planning. Socialist

planning is essentially a political task, the content of which is inextricably linked to that

of the new type of state. From this comes the importance of the conceptualisation of

the state, as an organisation of society and as a specialised political institution - the

System of Popular Power - and the conceptualisation of the “work of governing” in a

process of socialist transformation.

1 Translated by Al Campbell and Regula Burki. An earlier version in Spanish may be

accessed at www.nodo50.org/cubasigloXXI/

THEORY. . . “WITH FEET ON THE GROUND” 177

IJCS Produced and distributed by Pluto Journals www.plutojournals.com/ijcs/

Keywords: Socialist planning, the state, a vision of the future, the withering away of

the state, public power – social power, communist social self-government, the work

of governing in a socialist transformation

In 2016 the Seventh Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, in the fourth

accord of the Resolution on the National Plan for Economic and Social

Development until 2030, committed itself to “orient the government on the cul-

mination in 2017 of the elaboration of the National Plan for Economic and

Social Development until 2030” (Granma 2016: 15). On July 27, 2020, the

Cuban press carried important news about the culmination of this plan and its

approval by the Council of Ministers, which is the Government of the Republic,

and in addition, the approval of another plan and a policy that are important

legal instruments for the exercise of government.

Three issues of great importance for the present and future development of the

nation were approved: the National Plan for Economic and Social Development

until 2030; the Policy to Promote Territorial Development; and the Plan for Food

Sovereignty and Nutritional Education in Cuba. (Puig Meneses 2020: 2)2

Once again, political practice moves us to reflect on the conceptual elements

present in the current Cuban process of transformation. These should form the

guidelines for us in our daily activities. It is very important to express them in the

legal terms that appear in our governing documents, above all in our Magna

Carta, and to act accordingly. Here we focus our reflections on the work of the

state in socialist planning.

Do we Need Theory? What Theory?

Planning is not an activity exclusive to the state or to socialist transformation.

But socialist planning is an essentially political task, whose content is insepara-

bly linked to that of the state of a new type, necessary for this transformation.

Hence the conceptualisation of the state, as an organisation of society and as a

specialised political institution – which in our case is objectified in the System of

People’s Power – is inseparably linked to the conceptualisation of the work of

governing in a process of socialist transformation.

2 The translation of all quotations from sources that are in Spanish is by the translators.