The Cuban Economy in a New Era

For over 40 years, writer and publisher Jorge I. Dominguez worked in several positions at Harvard University, including professor and vice provost for international affairs. Jorge I. Dominguez educates a general audience and academics on a spectrum of subjects regarding Latin America’s historical and current development. In his 2017 book The Cuban Economy in a New Era: An Agenda for Change toward Durable Development (shortened to The Cuban Economy in a New Era), Jorge I. Dominguez identifies issues plaguing Cuba’s economy and proposes possible solutions.

The Cuban Economy in a New Era is part of the David Rockefeller Center Series for Latin American Studies. The result of over a decade of collaborations, with 10 Cuban scholars in total, Dr. Dominguez and his co-authors detail the ways Cuba’s economy reached its current state. Although people hoped the economy would grow after Fidel Castro’s death, there were not enough changes under President Raúl Castro. The various authors pose theories such as the sugar industry’s decline and the agriculture sector’s struggle to expand.

To address such a wide span of problems, Dr. Dominguez and his co-authors present solutions in seven major categories. Examples of small-scale solutions include assisting small business development and cultivating nonagricultural cooperatives. Examples of macroscopic solutions include relationships with international financial institutions, nationwide economic reform, and new financing options for private businesses.