What exact economic system would Che Guevara implement if he became leader of Cuba?

The Banker

Ok I know what you are thinking. This will not happen because he was more interested in guerilla warfare and Castro was alive and all that. I know that. But for a moment lets assume that Castro and his entire cabinet is captured by aliens and for any reason Che becomes Cuban leader
This is not a question of how it happens. Its a question of economic theory.

Would he collectivize all agriculture into cooperatives or not?
Would he push towards autarky or would he dabble into trade which he considered un-socialist

Trying to understand Guevara's method of economy is like trying to solve a puzzle which loops back into itself
To put it bluntly, the man was a confused mess high on the drug called 'Anti-Revisionism'
One day he supported Maoist collectivization and establishment of cooperative farms
the next day he says cooperative farms are bad because it creates an economic super structure in opposition to the state
one day he says Communist world should never emulate western economic developments because they lead to capitalism
the next day he says its ok to borrow from the capitalist world without fearing ideological contamination

what do you think would be his ideal and realistic economic system?
would it be like North Korea?
 
Clandango

Clandango

I know very little on this I admit, but what would he think about tobacco? Sure, he smoked cigars and Cuba exported it to the Soviets, but did his time in Argentina (though later followed by time in Mexico and Guatemala) give him a picture of how it was leftover from the days of plantations, and that collectivizing it would be bringing them back to an extent? Though I guess he would see it merely as taking it away from the rich landowners and foreign businesses, and the health issues may not have been as clear back then due to tobacco lobbyists in the US. Makes it easier for him to dismiss it, or to focus on only cigars or cigarettes, and accuse certain types of tobacco products as being effeminate.
 
The_Persian_Cat

The_Persian_Cat

I'm by no means an expert on Che or Cuba, but I did some research on Nicaragua and the rest of Central America a few years ago which was sort of related. From what I can tell, the agrarian reforms in Cuba had a lot of input from Che -- especially the First Agrarian Reform, which was mainly about nationalising foreign- and private-owned agricultural land, mechanised equipment, and the means of production in general. In cases where the state expropriated land from small peasants for public use, those small peasants were issued compensation; but large latifundos and foreign businesses weren't entitled to compensation, afaik. As far as I know, it was largely successful in reducing poverty and food insecurity.
Now, I'm certain Castro or his associates would have done something similar if Che hadn't been involved. But Che was a charismatic leader, and saw land redistribution not just as a means for reforming agriculture, but also a means of generating class consciousness -- demonstrating to the peasants that the revolution was for the public good, and inspiring the revolutionary spirit within them.

As for the Second Agricultural Reform, which was more about centralising and reorganising publicly-owned agricultural land -- I don't really know how successful it was (either in its agricultural or its propagandistic goals), and I don't know what role Che played in it, either. Still, maybe this is a direction for you to look.
 
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