Cuba and Its Neighbours - by Arnold August (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

In this groundbreaking book, Arnold August explores Cuba's unique form of democracy, presenting a detailed and balanced analysis of Cuba's electoral process and the state's functioning between elections. By comparing them with practices in the U.S., Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador, August shows that people's participation in politics and society is not limited to a singular, U.S.- centric understanding of democracy.

Through this deft analysis, August illustrates how the process of democratization in Cuba is continually in motion and argues that a greater understanding of different political systems teaches us to not be satisfied with either blanket condemnations or idealistic political illusions.

Review Quotes

"This book, a tour de force from an expert who clearly knows his field well, is one that goes out of its way to make us think about what we understand by "democracy" and how we should view new manifestations in the "Third World". Not only is its conceptual and geographical scope admirably broad, but its familiar attention to the details of political participation are excellent, and, by taking a firm stance, the author forces us to address issues which are all too often taken for granted and left unquestioned." --Antoni Kapcia, University of Nottingham

"A trailblazing perspective. August contrasts the experiences in Cuba and some Latin American countries, where participatory democracy is taking shape, to the pretences of the U.S. model. Compulsory reading." --Claude Morin, Université de Montréal

"A must-read for anybody seriously interested in Cuba and in the overall question of democracy and its practices." --Claudia Kaiser-Lenoir, Tufts University

"Arnold August cuts through the common propaganda about democracy in the U.S. and the supposed lack of democracy in Cuba. Where August's earlier work on the Cuban political system opened a window to this forbidden island, Cuba and Its Neighbours deepens our understanding of Cuba's participatory processes and shows how they have been shaped by Cuba's revolutionary history." --Cliff DuRand, Morgan State University, Baltimore

About the Author

Arnold August has an MA in political science from McGill University. The Montreal-based writer, journalist and lecturer is the author of Democracy in Cuba and the 1997-98 Elections. He has also contributed a chapter entitled "Socialism and Elections" to Azicri and Deal's edited collection Cuban Socialism in a New Century.
Arnold August has an MA in political science from McGill University. The Montreal-based writer, journalist and lecturer is the author of Democracy in Cuba and the 1997-98 Elections. He has also contributed a chapter entitled "Socialism and Elections" to Azicri and Deal's edited collection Cuban Socialism in a New Century.