Comparative Analysis of the Changes in US and Russian foreign and economic policies towards Cuba 2008 - 2017

Comparative Analysis of the Changes in US and Russian foreign and economic policies towards Cuba 2008 - 2017 PDF Author: Inga von der Stein
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3346121305
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 61

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Book Description
Seminar paper from the year 2018 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Region: Russia, grade: 7,5, University of Kent (School of Politics and International Relations), language: English, abstract: This paper is a comparative case study which investigates the type and sources of the changes in foreign and economic policies by the US and Russia towards Cuba in the time frame of 2008 –2017 for two main reasons: firstly, both the US and Russia changed their policies towards Cuba remarkably in this episode; secondly, US-Russia relations went through several distinctive changes in this period, which arguably influenced their respective relations to Cuba (Stent, 2015, p. 10). To analyse and compare the policy changes, an alternative explanatory model to analyse foreign policy change (FPC) is constructed. This model is constituted by a three-step procedure. As a first step, it employs the sources of FPC as independent variables as outlined by Eidenfalk, while it puts emphasis on the political-institutional setting as an additional independent variable. The second step is constituted by Eidenfalk’s “window of opportunity”, which needs to be perceived by policy-makers to enact change. The third step is formed by the four degrees of FPC which are employed as dependent variables as put forward by Hermann. This study has both empirical and theoretical aims. The empirical aim is to identify the degree and the most influential factors of the policy changes undertaken by the US and Russia towards Cuba. However, this study also demonstrates broader implications on the similarities and differences of the sources of Russian and US foreign policy-making and moreover, on US-Russia relations in general. Since these two countries have a tremendous effect on world affairs due to their leverage on the world stage, their bilateral relations can considerably affect other players of the international system. Further, this paper adds to the discussion on the future development of Cuba, as the future of the island arguably depends on its relations with Russia and the US. The theoretical aim is to make a contribution to the study of FPC, by combining comparative foreign policy analysis (CFP) with the study of FPC.

Comparative Analysis of the Changes in US and Russian foreign and economic policies towards Cuba 2008 - 2017

Comparative Analysis of the Changes in US and Russian foreign and economic policies towards Cuba 2008 - 2017 PDF Author: Inga von der Stein
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3346121305
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 61

Get Book Here

Book Description
Seminar paper from the year 2018 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Region: Russia, grade: 7,5, University of Kent (School of Politics and International Relations), language: English, abstract: This paper is a comparative case study which investigates the type and sources of the changes in foreign and economic policies by the US and Russia towards Cuba in the time frame of 2008 –2017 for two main reasons: firstly, both the US and Russia changed their policies towards Cuba remarkably in this episode; secondly, US-Russia relations went through several distinctive changes in this period, which arguably influenced their respective relations to Cuba (Stent, 2015, p. 10). To analyse and compare the policy changes, an alternative explanatory model to analyse foreign policy change (FPC) is constructed. This model is constituted by a three-step procedure. As a first step, it employs the sources of FPC as independent variables as outlined by Eidenfalk, while it puts emphasis on the political-institutional setting as an additional independent variable. The second step is constituted by Eidenfalk’s “window of opportunity”, which needs to be perceived by policy-makers to enact change. The third step is formed by the four degrees of FPC which are employed as dependent variables as put forward by Hermann. This study has both empirical and theoretical aims. The empirical aim is to identify the degree and the most influential factors of the policy changes undertaken by the US and Russia towards Cuba. However, this study also demonstrates broader implications on the similarities and differences of the sources of Russian and US foreign policy-making and moreover, on US-Russia relations in general. Since these two countries have a tremendous effect on world affairs due to their leverage on the world stage, their bilateral relations can considerably affect other players of the international system. Further, this paper adds to the discussion on the future development of Cuba, as the future of the island arguably depends on its relations with Russia and the US. The theoretical aim is to make a contribution to the study of FPC, by combining comparative foreign policy analysis (CFP) with the study of FPC.

Economic Normalization with Cuba

Economic Normalization with Cuba PDF Author: Gary Clyde Hufbauer
Publisher: Peterson Institute for International Economics
ISBN: 0881326828
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 155

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Book Description
Description For more than 50 years the United States has attempted to destabilize and isolate the Castro regime in Cuba with the use of trade and financial sanctions, a policy that has fallen short of its objective. In this Policy Analysis, Gary Clyde Hufbauer and Barbara Kotschwar suggest that the sands of time may accomplish what economic pressure did not. Raúl Castro, president of Cuba since 2008, plans to step down at the end of 2018, implying a new regime in five years. Various forces are starting to emerge favoring economic normalization if Cuba appears ready to change its policies as well as its leadership. The authors caution, however, that a unilateral dismantling of US sanctions without insuring that proper institutions are in place in Cuba could squander a golden opportunity for US companies. They argue that a new US-Cuba relationship must entail a lifting of Cuba's barriers to trade and investment, liberalization of its economy, and the adoption of democratic institutions. They offer a roadmap for a future US-Cuba rapprochement.

Cuba's Aborted Reform: Socioeconomic Effects, International Comparisons, Transition Policies

Cuba's Aborted Reform: Socioeconomic Effects, International Comparisons, Transition Policies PDF Author: Carmelo Mesa-Lago
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780813030937
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
"Mesa-Lago and Pérez-López have achieved the rarest of feats: they have given us a dispassionate, data-rich, comparative, provocative, and policy-oriented analysis of Cuba''s aborted economic reforms of the last decade."--Ted Henken, Baruch College, CUNY "The most calm and careful analysis yet of Cuba in 2005."--Irving Louis Horowitz, Rutgers University "An excellent contribution to the economic literature in Cuba . . . A must read for scholars interested in Cuban affairs, as well as for those with broader concerns such as U.S. foreign policy and general prescriptions for countries transiting to more liberal economic policies . . . Timely and well documented . . . Highly recommended for those interested in the island, U.S.-Cuba relations, and Latin American affairs generally."--Sergio Diaz-Briquets, senior vice president, Casals & Associates, international management consulting and communications firm "Informative. Comprehensive. Systematically comparative. Mesa-Lago and Pérez-López bring their years of path-breaking excellent research on the Cuban economy to describe how Cuba responded to the crisis provoked by the collapse of the Soviet Union ... A sure and clear guide to understanding Cuba''s economy today."--Jorge Domínguez, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University "Timely proposes moderate recommendations on desirable economic reforms in post-Castro Cuba . . . recommend[ed] to all who have interests, not only in the Cuban economy, but also [in] economic development and social welfare in general, and in transition from socialist systems towards the market."--Kanako Yamaoka, Institute of Developing Economies This volume analyzes Cuban socioeconomic policies and evaluates their performance since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the socialist camp. It provides a brief historical background to the crisis and analyzes in detail the deterioration and incomplete recovery since 1990. Comparing Cuba''s performance with that of other Latin American and former socialist countries, it summarizes the views of noted Cuban economists and proposes policies that architects of the Cuban transition might wish to put in place after the passing of Castro. Focusing on economic and social policies and performance during the "Special Period in Time of Peace" (1990-2004), the authors draw on an impressive array of statistics (synthesized in 28 tables) to show that in 2005 Cuba has yet to return to economic levels of the late 1980s, and the access and quality of many of the highly touted social services--education, health care, social security, housing--also have not been restored to the levels achieved prior to the economic crisis triggered by the collapse of the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, they argue, poverty has expanded and unequal access to foreign remittances combined with expanding income differences have exacerbated social inequalities and widened the consumption gap between those with access to hard currency and those without. The authors demonstrate that governmental concerns about a strengthening private sector resulting in loss of political control finally prompted the Cuban leadership to prioritize political over economic ends. It aborted the modest market-oriented reforms of 1993-1996 and actually reversed them in 2003-2004, recentralized the economy, drastically reduced the limited spaces for private economic activity, exerted increasing control over hard currency, prohibited the circulation of the dollar, and stepped up repressive measures on peaceful dissidents. Centralized economic control has been fully restored, even though it will undoubtedly result in further deterioration of economic conditions and declining standards of living. Carmelo Mesa-Lago is distinguished professor emeritus of economics and Latin American studies at the University of Pittsburgh. His most recent books include Market, Socialist and Mixed Economies: Comparative Policy and Performance--Chile, Cuba, and Costa Rica and Las Reformas de Pensiones en America Latina y su Impacto en los Principios de la Seguridad Social. Jorge Pérez-López is an international economist whose most recent books include Conquering Nature: The Environmental Legacy of Socialism in Cuba and Cuba''s Second Economy: From Behind the Scenes to Center Stage

Global Trends 2040

Global Trends 2040 PDF Author: National Intelligence Council
Publisher: Cosimo Reports
ISBN: 9781646794973
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 158

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Book Description
"The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic marks the most significant, singular global disruption since World War II, with health, economic, political, and security implications that will ripple for years to come." -Global Trends 2040 (2021) Global Trends 2040-A More Contested World (2021), released by the US National Intelligence Council, is the latest report in its series of reports starting in 1997 about megatrends and the world's future. This report, strongly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, paints a bleak picture of the future and describes a contested, fragmented and turbulent world. It specifically discusses the four main trends that will shape tomorrow's world: - Demographics-by 2040, 1.4 billion people will be added mostly in Africa and South Asia. - Economics-increased government debt and concentrated economic power will escalate problems for the poor and middleclass. - Climate-a hotter world will increase water, food, and health insecurity. - Technology-the emergence of new technologies could both solve and cause problems for human life. Students of trends, policymakers, entrepreneurs, academics, journalists and anyone eager for a glimpse into the next decades, will find this report, with colored graphs, essential reading.

Cuba After the Cold War

Cuba After the Cold War PDF Author: Carmelo Mesa-Lago
Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Pre
ISBN: 0822974568
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 401

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Book Description
Ten original essays by an international team of scholars specializing in Cuba, the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and Latin America focus on the fall of communism in Europe and the transition to a market economy. Major themes of this study are the impact of the USSR's collapse on Cuba, how the historic events in Europe have affected the Central and South American Left, their implications to Cuba, Cuba's policies for confronting the crisis, and potential scenarios for the political and economic transformation of Cuba.

Russia's Military Interventions

Russia's Military Interventions PDF Author: Samuel Charap
Publisher: Rand Corporation
ISBN: 1977406467
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 188

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Book Description
Moscow's use of its military abroad in recent years has radically reshaped perceptions of Russia as an international actor. With the 2014 annexation of Crimea, the invasion of eastern Ukraine and sustainment of an insurgency there, and (in particular) the 2015 intervention in Syria, Russia repeatedly surprised U.S. policymakers with its willingness and ability to use its military to achieve its foreign policy objectives. Despite Russia's relatively small global economic footprint, it has engaged in more interventions than any other U.S. competitor since the end of the Cold War. In this report, the authors assess when, where, and why Russia conducts military interventions by analyzing the 25 interventions that Russia has undertaken since 1991, including detailed case studies of the 2008 Russia-Georgia War and Moscow's involvement in the ongoing Syrian civil war. The authors suggest that Russia is most likely to intervene to prevent erosion of its influence in its neighborhood, particularly following a shock that portends such an erosion occurring rapidly. If there were to be a regime change in a core Russian regional ally, such as Belarus or Armenia, that brought to power a government hostile to Moscow's interests, it is possible (if not likely) that a military intervention could ensue.

The Distributional Implications of the Impact of Fuel Price Increases on Inflation

The Distributional Implications of the Impact of Fuel Price Increases on Inflation PDF Author: Mr. Kangni R Kpodar
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1616356154
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 34

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Book Description
This paper investigates the response of consumer price inflation to changes in domestic fuel prices, looking at the different categories of the overall consumer price index (CPI). We then combine household survey data with the CPI components to construct a CPI index for the poorest and richest income quintiles with the view to assess the distributional impact of the pass-through. To undertake this analysis, the paper provides an update to the Global Monthly Retail Fuel Price Database, expanding the product coverage to premium and regular fuels, the time dimension to December 2020, and the sample to 190 countries. Three key findings stand out. First, the response of inflation to gasoline price shocks is smaller, but more persistent and broad-based in developing economies than in advanced economies. Second, we show that past studies using crude oil prices instead of retail fuel prices to estimate the pass-through to inflation significantly underestimate it. Third, while the purchasing power of all households declines as fuel prices increase, the distributional impact is progressive. But the progressivity phases out within 6 months after the shock in advanced economies, whereas it persists beyond a year in developing countries.

Cultural Perspectives, Geopolitics, & Energy Security of Eurasia

Cultural Perspectives, Geopolitics, & Energy Security of Eurasia PDF Author: Mahir Ibrahimov
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781940804316
Category : Eurasia
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description


China’s Grand Strategy

China’s Grand Strategy PDF Author: Andrew Scobell
Publisher: Rand Corporation
ISBN: 1977404200
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 155

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Book Description
To explore what extended competition between the United States and China might entail out to 2050, the authors of this report identified and characterized China’s grand strategy, analyzed its component national strategies (diplomacy, economics, science and technology, and military affairs), and assessed how successful China might be at implementing these over the next three decades.

The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate

The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate PDF Author: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9781009157971
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 755

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Book Description
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the leading international body for assessing the science related to climate change. It provides policymakers with regular assessments of the scientific basis of human-induced climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation. This IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate is the most comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the observed and projected changes to the ocean and cryosphere and their associated impacts and risks, with a focus on resilience, risk management response options, and adaptation measures, considering both their potential and limitations. It brings together knowledge on physical and biogeochemical changes, the interplay with ecosystem changes, and the implications for human communities. It serves policymakers, decision makers, stakeholders, and all interested parties with unbiased, up-to-date, policy-relevant information. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.