ty can bettermonitor these Cuban threats?The US embargo proves to be ineffective in both democratizing Cuba orremoving Castro from power. US sanctions against Cuba have been held for the lastforty years or so and Cuba is still very socialist society. Also Castros power has notwavered in any significant way that would indicate that the embargo was working. USpolicy makers feel that by debilitating the Cuban economy that it will be able toinfluence the Cuban people to rise up in rebellion against Castro. In many ways theembargo has exactly the opposite effect on reformers with in Cuba. By tighteningsanctions on the island the US is hurting those people who would be the most likely torevolt, the people of Cuba. Sanctions have made it necessary for the Cuban people torely very heavily upon the government for basic needs like clothing and food. Since thereare no outside markets for Cubans to buy from they most accept what the Castrogovernment doles out. It would go against a persons common sense to rebel against theperson or people on whom he or she was totally dependent. If Cubans need Castro theyare very unlikely to take the risk of overthrowing him for fear of punishment. Thesanctions also increase the unlikelihood of rebellion because it has increased the classdivisions. Class mobility is very difficult in even the most flourishing economies and isvery nearly impossible in a non-solvent economy. Thus those with power maintain thatinfluence while those without power have no hope of gaining more influence than thatwhich they were born into. Of those who have power the military is most definitely inthis category. The Cuban military, which is controlled by Castro, has a great deal ofauthority and has made it clear that it will use all its force to repress would-be reformers. Dependency on Castros government, a lack of economic independence, and fear of astrong loyal military make reforms very rare and very dangerous for those wh...
