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War, Racism and Economic Justice: The Global Ravages of Capitalism | 
 enlarge | Author: Fidel Castro
Publisher: Ocean Press
Category: Book
List Price: $12.95
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Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 699200
Media: Paperback
Pages: 120
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.4
ISBN: 1876175478
Dewey Decimal Number: 972.91064
EAN: 9781876175474
ASIN: 1876175478
Publication Date: October 2002
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Condition: New
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Product Description
In a timely analysis of international events, including the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the "war against terrorism," Fidel Castro discusses issues of globalization and the growing phenomenon of global apartheid.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Communist brainwashing propaganda April 17, 2008
Thucydides
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
Communism is dead as a doornail. Those who think otherwise are simply brainwashed by propaganda and completely ignorant of world history. The Soviet Union collapsed after decades of backwardness and Marxism, not that its economic failure was ever in doubt. Their pseudo-"industrialization" caused huge famines that killed tens of millions, and did not reduce the technological lag that persisted for decades - they were in the stone ages technologically. They were only saved in World War II by American lend-lease shipments, and then donations of grain and wheat. The Soviet Union was a failure, and was lagging behind the West in industrial production, agriculture, military strength, applied science, everything. Their physical indices and statistics (along with the alleged achievements of the military and space program) were proven to be bungled lies and propaganda. Their Marxist economists were incompetent, and failed to solve any planning problems.
China was even worse - Mao's "Great Leap Forward" resulted in the greatest man-made famine in human history, and killed at least 50 million. It is lost to history exactly how many millions were killed in the "Great Cultural Revolution", which ranks with the Holocaust or Soviet industrialization as one of the greatest crimes of the 20th century. Those who deny these historical facts are just as pathetic and arrogant as Holocaust deniers or flat-Earthers.
Cuba hardly fared any better - it was ruled by a brutal dictatorship, and it is lost to history how many millions were also killed by famines and harebrained government schemes. The useful idiots who still doubt this need to WAKE UP, get some sunlight and stop reading pseudo-intellectual tracts like this.
 History Will Absolve May 9, 2006
Drew Hunkins (Madison, WI United States)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
With incredible wisdom, erudition and experience Castro touches on all the major issues of our time in this concise and spectacular book. Over 500 years of imperialism and exploitation against the Caribbean, South America and Central America are addressed. One consistent theme he constantly refers to is the need for solidarity amongst all of the Latin people of the Western Hemisphere.
Interesting sections of the book deal with the living standards in Cuba that have all gone in a positive, life-affirming direction since the ouster of Batista in the late 1950s and the onset of the revolution's socio-economic programs. Literacy rates, infant mortality, vaccinations, poverty levels, employment rates - in all of these categories the common Cuban folks are the envy of the rest of the Latin American masses who are gripped by incredible levels of poverty and crushing exploitation.
Fidel also includes insightful chapters expounding on the speculative global economy that has developed since Nixon's dismantling of the Bretton Wood system in the early 1970s. It's an economy that hinges on the machinations of international financiers making computerized currency trades in a matter of seconds. Castro alludes to its unsustainability since it's a system that has virtually nothing to do with the substantive manufacture of goods and services. Instead, daily by the minute currency speculation and financial bubbles dictate global capitalism. Of course along with addressing this relatively recent phenomenon the book also includes a fair critique of the FTAA.
Most interesting is a chapter consisting entirely of the speech Castro delivered to the International Conference on Racism in South Africa two weeks prior to the September 11th attacks. He admonishes the Israeli and United States attendees for thumbing their noses to the conference by walking out when Palestinian rights were broached.
It is books such as this magnificent offering by Ocean Press that will help keep the spirit and hope of the Cuban revolution alive for eternity. History will indeed absolve Fidel, his comrades, and all the other Latin American liberation movements for having the bravery and compassion for humankind to attempt to rid themselves of the neo-colonialism and maldevelopment that has been their lot.
One of the most important voices of our time April 24, 2005
Malvin (Frederick, MD USA)
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
"War, Racism and Economic Injustice" is not a treatise on the title subject per se but rather is a collection of speeches delivered by Fidel Castro between January 2000 and November 2001. In these coherent and passionate presentations, Mr. Castro distinguishes himself as possibly the most important, if not most misunderstood, critic of globalization and an articulate spokesperson for the invisible poor of the Third World. Indeed, Mr. Castro's unique life experiences and demonstrated ability to persuasively speak truth to power definitively distinguishes him from all other current world leaders.
The opening chapter is an interview with Mr. Castro in which he condemns the U.S. political system as undemocratic inasmuch as it is controlled by mega corporations, who have imposed "apartheid throughout the world" through the imposition of an unjust economic order. Mr. Castro goes on to credit the Cuban people for their durability in surviving the illegal U.S. economic embargo and the collapse of the Soviet Union, and asks for the forgiveness of debt on behalf of the poor nations of the world. Throughout the interview, Mr. Castro reveals myriad aspects of his personality, including intellectualism, humanitarianism, self-confidence and humor.
The following 14 speeches are delivered on a range of topics delivered at major cities including the United Nations, Harlem, Caracas, Panama City, Quebec, South Africa and of course, Havana. Reading the content of these speeches, one is impressed with Mr. Castro's ability to deliver relevant content that could not have failed to resonate with their diverse audiences. While Mr. Castro often supports his statements with thorough research and consistently presents a well-reasoned, cogent argument, the urgency of his still-revolutionary message fairly leaps off the page.
One of the key themes articulated by Mr. Castro is the problem of capitalist consumer culture and the unequal distribution of resources which in turn is leading the world inexorably towards environmental, social and economic disaster. Mr. Castro astutely connects the historic abuse and slavery of indigenous peoples and imperialism with the impoverishment of the citizens of the Third World today. Cuba's embrace of socialism and its successes with respect to education, health care and democracy are compared favorably with the fate of many others who have been suffering from the ill effects of globalization, including the poor of the industrialized nations and a growing class of impoverished people living within the U.S. and Europe. In my view, it is ironic that Mr. Castro's message contains many truths about what may need to be done to create a sustainable and just world economy that would help guarantee prosperity for all, although it is often the case that opinion leaders in the wealthy nations attempt to discredit him and his ideas.
For example, the final two speeches on the U.S. war on terrorism are noteworthy for their insight into current events and how all nations might collectively work together to resolve difficult issues. Delivered mere weeks after the attacks of September 11, 2001 Mr. Castro's keen political observations have proven to be prescient, including the attribution of fanaticism to both the Islamic fundamentalists and U.S. leadership, as well as his prediction that George W. Bush would probably use the crisis to further an extreme right-wing political agenda. However, Mr. Castro displays considerable statesmanship by opposing both terrorism and war, saying that "thinking and conscience can be stronger than terror and death" and calling for peace and international cooperation to help resolve differences between nations.
I encourage everyone to read this remarkably thought-provoking and inspiring book written by one of the most important voices of our time.
 not hard to believe & easy to read December 20, 2004
Jose Lopez (Midwest)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
I enjoyed most of this book - it started to get old towards the end because Castro recycles material from earlier speeches. Nevertheless, I would recommend this book to anyone.
 Hard to Read harder to Believe October 4, 2004
Frederic Bastiat (Fl USA)
3 out of 34 found this review helpful
Fidel Castro Lover of Humanity? This book is a poor excuse for a bad propaganda piece. Castro rails at capitalism but refuses to point the finger at the real culprit of Cuba's economic demise (himself). Only some lunatic and blind socialist could read this book without bending over from laughter or being totally revolted. Those who still believe Castro' or his revolution are anything but an abject failure or a crime against humanity will undoubtedly enjoy this trash. His statistics are not independently corrobarated, but that won't matter to any good socialist.
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