Emigration and Regime Stability: Explaining the Persistence of Cuban Socialism

Bert Hoffmann ()

No 2, GIGA Working Papers from GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies

Abstract: The 'Cuban safety-valve theory' explains sustained survival of Cuban socialism in part through the high levels of emigration, following Hirschman's model of 'exit' undermining 'voice'. The article argues that this remains insufficient in two important ways. Taking a closer look at the crisis years since 1989, at least as important as the opening of exit options was the Cuban state's capacity to rein in uncontrolled emigration and to reassure its 'gatekeeper role'. In addition, the transnationalization of voice and exit must be taken into account as a crucial factor, as much in feeding the regime's anti-imperialist discourse as, paradoxically, by generating sustained economic support from the emigrants.

Keywords: Emigration; Regime Stability; Transnational Networks; Cuba; USA (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D31 H5 O15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Working Paper: Emigration and Regime Stability: Explaining the Persistence of Cuban Socialism (2005)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:gigawp:2

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