Is the Cuban Revolution “good?” This essay seeks to assess the performance of the Cuban revolutionary government as it prepares for its fifteenth birthday in January, 1974.

We will evaluate the revolutionary government’s performance on eight basic values of social life identified by Harold Lasswell and Abraham Kaplan, as modified partly by Karl Deutsch, and further modified for the purposes of this essay. Power is the participation in decisions about severe sanctions or the capacity to change the probability of outcomes. Enlightenment involves knowledge, insight, and access to information. Skill is the proficiency in the practice of any arts and crafts, in trades, or professions. Wealth is income, including both goods and services. Well-being includes both health and safety. Deference includes status, honor, recognition, prestige, glory, or reputation. Rectitude comprises moral values: virtue, goodness, righteousness, etc. Affection includes both love and friendship.