Main Practices of the Communist Party of Cuba in Strengthening Party Building

The Republic of Cuba is composed of 1,600 islands of varying sizes, with a total area of approximately 110,860 square kilometers, a population of over 11 million, and its capital is Havana. Since 2011, Cuba has been divided into 15 provinces, with 167 municipalities (counties) under them, plus one special municipality, the Isle of Youth. Cuba is a socialist state, the Communist Party of Cuba is the only legal political party within Cuba, and it is the leading force in Cuban society and the state. The current head of state and head of government is Raúl Castro.

古巴共和国由1600个大小不等的岛屿组成，总面积约110860平方公里，人口1100多万，首都哈瓦那市。从2011年起，古巴全国划分为15个省，下设167个市(县),还有一个特区，即青年岛。古巴是社会主义国家，古巴共产党是古巴境内唯一的合法政党，是古巴社会和国家的领导力量，现任国家元首和政府首脑是劳尔·卡斯特罗。

The predecessor of the Communist Party of Cuba was the "United Organization of the Cuban Revolution," formed in 1961 by the merger of three organizations: the "26th of July Movement," the People's Socialist Party, and the "13th of March Revolutionary Directorate." It adopted its current name in October 1965. At present, it has 61,000 primary-level Party organizations and over 800,000 Party members. "In the 1970s, there were over 500,000 members of the Communist Party of Cuba. After the drastic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, the number of Communist Party of Cuba members not only did not decrease but instead increased by an average of about 20,000 per year, rising from 615,000 in 1991 to 894,000 in 2005." [1]1 The drastic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe (苏东剧变) refers to the collapse of communist regimes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries between 1989 and 1991. The Communist Party of Cuba (hereinafter referred to as the PCC) was founded in 1965, held its First National Congress in 1975, and successively held its Second through Eighth National Congresses from 1980 to 2021. In April 2021, the PCC's Eighth Congress was held in Havana, focusing on discussing the problems facing the PCC and the direction of reform, and electing a leadership collective with Miguel Díaz-Canel as First Secretary of the Central Committee. [2]2 Miguel Díaz-Canel succeeded Raúl Castro as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba at the Eighth Congress in 2021, marking the first time since the 1959 revolution that a Castro brother did not hold the top party post. What distinguishes Cuba from other socialist countries is that it is situated in the "backyard" of the United States, being the only country in the Western Hemisphere governed by a communist party. It not only faces a blockade by the United States but also pressure from some neighboring Latin American countries. Furthermore, due to Cuba's relatively single economic structure, its level of economic development has consistently been low, and the people's living standards are relatively impoverished. Facing a severe domestic and international environment, the Communist Party of Cuba has always insisted on keeping the red flag flying, maintaining its ruling position unshaken, and enjoys high credibility among the masses.

古巴共产党的前身是1961年由“7·26运动”、人民社会党和“3·13革命指导委员会”三个组织合并而成的“古巴革命统一组织”,1965年10月改为现名。目前，其有基层党组织6.1万个，党员80多万人。“古巴共产党员20世纪70年代为50多万人，苏东剧变后，古巴共产党人数不仅没有减少，反而年均递增约2万人，从1991年61.5万人增加到2005年的89.4万人。”古巴共产党(以下简称“古共”)成立于1965年，于1975年召开了第一次全国代表大会，1980年—2021年先后召开了党的第二至第八次全国代表大会。2021年4月，古共八大在哈瓦那召开，重点讨论古共存在的问题和改革方向，并选举产生了以卡内尔为中央第一书记的领导集体。古巴不同于其他社会主义国家的特殊之处在于，它身处美国的“后院”,是西半球唯一由共产党执政的国家，其不但面临着美国的封锁，而且一些临近的拉美国家也对其施加压力；此外，由于古巴经济结构较为单一，其经济发展水平一直不高，人民生活水平相对贫困。面对严峻的国内外环境，古巴共产党始终坚持红旗不倒，保持执政地位不动摇，在人民群众中拥有很高的公信力。

I. Unswervingly Strengthening Ideological and Theoretical Construction

一、始终不渝加强思想理论建设

Adhering to the guidance of Marxism-Leninism. The Party Constitution and Program adopted at the First Congress of the PCC clearly and unequivocally emphasize that the Communist Party of Cuba undertakes the task of building socialism under the guidance of the ideas of Marx, Engels, and Lenin. The Communist Party of Cuba believes that the emergence of Cuba is the result of the united efforts of socialist forces, and the establishment of the Communist Party of Cuba can ensure that Cuba continues along the path of communism. After the drastic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, Cuba lost its important political support, and its favorable trade relations with Eastern European countries also ceased to exist. Despite encountering unprecedented pressure and crisis, the Communist Party of Cuba still stated that it would resolutely follow the socialist path and defend socialism to the death. In 2019, the Cuban Constitution stipulated that Cuba is a socialist state governed by the rule of law, independent, sovereign, unified, and democratic, highlighting the socialist nature of the state. Adhering unswervingly to Marxism-Leninism means, on the one hand, that the PCC, as a Marxist ruling party, upholds basic socialist principles, such as maintaining the dominant position of public ownership; on the other hand, the PCC has always been the maker and promoter of Cuba's important policies and guidelines, providing correct political guidance for Cuba's revolutionary cause and ensuring the fundamental leading position of the PCC. As the only socialist country outside the Asian region and the only country in Latin America and the Caribbean governed by a communist party, Cuba's persistent adherence to the guidance of Marxism-Leninism and unswerving commitment to socialism is not only of great significance to the construction of the Cuban Party and state but also has a very positive meaning for promoting the development of the world socialist movement.

坚持马克思列宁主义指导。古共一大通过的党章和纲领旗帜鲜明地强调，古巴共产党是以马克思、恩格斯、列宁思想为指导而从事社会主义建设任务的。古巴共产党认为，古巴的产生是社会主义力量团结努力的结果，古巴共产党的建立能够确保古巴沿着共产主义道路继续走下去。苏东剧变之后，古巴失去了政治上的重要依托，其同东欧国家良好的贸易关系也不复存在。尽管遭遇前所未有的压力和危机，但古巴共产党仍然表示要坚决走社会主义道路、誓死捍卫社会主义。2019年，古巴宪法规定，古巴是法治、独立、主权、统一、民主的社会主义国家，突出了国家的社会主义性质。坚持马克思列宁主义不动摇，一方面，古共作为马克思主义执政党坚持了社会主义基本原则，如坚持公有制经济主体地位；另一方面，古共始终是古巴重要方针政策的制定者、推动者，对古巴革命事业给予正确的政治引领，保证古共根本领导地位。古巴作为亚洲地区以外唯一的社会主义国家，也是拉丁美洲和加勒比地区唯一由共产党执政的国家，其始终坚持马克思列宁主义指导，坚持社会主义不动摇，这不仅对古巴党和国家建设意义重大，而且对推动世界社会主义运动事业发展也具有十分积极的意义。

First, improve the Party's training system and strengthen ideological education for Party members and cadres. The Cuban Party School was established in 1960 and currently has 1 central Party school, 14 provincial Party schools, and over 140 primary-level Party schools, forming a relatively complete cadre training network from the central to the primary level. Additionally, Cuba has established Political and Ideological Training Centers (hereinafter referred to as "Centers"), which are divided into three levels: primary, intermediate, and advanced, mainly providing systematic education for Party members and probationary Party members. In terms of training targets, the Centers focus on ordinary Party members; the training content primarily consists of Marxist-Leninist theory. Unlike Party schools at various levels, "the teaching targets of the Political and Ideological Training Centers are biased towards ordinary Party members, with the main goal being to provide standardized and complete education for Party members and probationary Party members, improving their political literacy and theoretical level. Through long-term efforts, the cultural level of Party members and leading cadres within the PCC has significantly improved, and the Party's leadership ability and governance level have been notably enhanced." [3]3 This is a quotation from a Chinese scholarly source on the PCC's training system. Furthermore, organizations such as the Young Communist League and trade unions in Cuba also have their own schools at various levels for training their respective cadres. This has played an important role in maintaining the advanced nature, purity, and combat effectiveness of Party members. To increase the training of cadres, Cuba established the National Higher School for State and Government Cadres in October 2011, aiming to improve the comprehensive quality of senior cadres to meet the needs of Party building under the new situation. The school offers classes in public management and enterprise management, with a typical study duration of two months. Additionally, to meet the learning needs of cadres, the school has set up branches across the country, basically achieving full coverage of training.

首先，健全党的培训体系，加强党员干部思想教育。古巴党校成立于1960年，现拥有中央党校1所，省级党校14所和基层党校140余所，形成了一套从中央到基层较为完整的干部培训网络。另外，古巴还成立了政治思想培训中心(以下简称“中心”),中心分为初级、中级和高级三个级别，主要对党员和预备党员进行系统教育。在培训对象上，中心侧重于普通党员；培训内容则以马克思列宁主义理论为主要内容。与各级党校不同，“政治思想培训中心的授课对象偏重于普通党员，主要目标是对党员和预备党员进行规范的、完备的教育，提高其政治素养和理论水平。经过长期努力，古共党内的党员领导干部文化水平显著提高，党的领导能力和执政水平明显提升”。此外，古巴的共青盟、工会等组织也都有各自的各级学校用以培训各自的干部。这对保持党员先进性、纯洁性和战斗性发挥了重要作用。为加大对干部的培训力度，古巴于2011年10月成立了国家和政府干部高等学院，旨在提升高级干部的综合素质，以适应新形势下党的建设的需要。该学院设置了公共管理和企业管理等班次，一般学习时长为两个月。另外，为满足干部的学习需求，该学院还在全国各地设立了分校，基本实现了培训全覆盖。

Second, emphasize the localization and nationalization of theory. Marxism-Leninism is not rigid and immutable; it must develop with the times. The Communist Party of Cuba, based on new situations and changes, revised its Party Constitution in a realistic manner, incorporating Martí's thought into the Party Constitution, thereby expanding the inclusiveness of ideology. José Martí's thought is the essence of Cuba's indigenous culture, with unity and sharing, diligence and wisdom being its core. Fidel Castro believed that the Cuban revolution originated from the combination of Marxism-Leninism and Martí's thought, and that the Cuban revolution required the continued combination of these two theories. [4]4 José Martí (1853-1895) was a Cuban national hero, poet, and independence leader whose ideas are considered foundational to Cuban national identity and revolutionary thought. Furthermore, the PCC established the "Martí Program Association" and distributes the "Martí Manual" in Party schools, training centers, and schools at all levels. At the Party's Fourth National Congress, the PCC incorporated Martí's thought into the Party Constitution. This was a great pioneering move in the PCC's Party building, fundamentally highlighting the PCC's indigenous character while greatly enhancing the broad masses' identification with the Party. Since Raúl Castro assumed the top leadership of the PCC, he has put forward the goals of "defending, perfecting, and developing socialism" and the value orientation of unifying "fairness and efficiency," which are innovations in the localization of Marxist theory. As a flagship figure and important leader of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro enjoys high prestige within the Communist Party of Cuba and among the Cuban people. The thought named after him and formed as Fidel's thought is a precious spiritual wealth and theoretical treasure of the Cuban nation.

其次，注重理论的本土化和民族化发展。马克思列宁主义不是僵化的、一成不变的，其必须与时俱进地发展。古巴共产党根据新情况新变化，符合实际地修改了党章，将马蒂思想载入党章，扩大了意识形态的包容度。何塞·马蒂思想是古巴本土文化的精髓，团结和共享、勤劳和智慧是马蒂思想的本质。菲德尔·卡斯特罗认为，古巴革命来源于马克思列宁主义和马蒂思想的结合，古巴革命需要这两种理论继续结合。此外，古共还建立了“马蒂纲领协会”,并在各级党校、培训中心和学校发行《马蒂手册》。在党的第四次全国代表大会上，古共将马蒂思想载入党章，这是古共在党建方面的一个伟大创举，其在根本上突出古共本土性的同时，大大增强了广大人民对党的认同感。自劳尔·卡斯特罗担任古共最高领导人以来，提出了“捍卫、完善和发展社会主义”的目标与“公平与效率”相统一的价值导向，这是对马克思主义理论本土化的创新。菲德尔·卡斯特罗作为古巴革命的旗帜性人物和重要领袖，在古巴共产党和人民群众中享有崇高的威望，以其名字命名和形成的菲德尔思想是古巴民族弥足珍贵的精神财富和理论瑰宝。

Finally, emphasize ideological and political education for youth. In April 2021, the PCC held its Eighth National Congress (hereinafter referred to as the Eighth Congress). At this congress, the PCC placed unprecedented importance on the Party's ideological education work, demanding "the gradual renewal of management and organizational structures, increasing the political voice of youth groups, and allowing cadres of the Young Communist League to continue to supply talent to the Party." [5]5 The Young Communist League (Unión de Jóvenes Comunistas) is the youth wing of the Communist Party of Cuba. 2022 marked the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Young Communist League of Cuba and the 61st anniversary of the founding of the José Martí Pioneer Organization. Cuba held a series of activities to enhance interaction and exchange with youth groups and strengthen youth ideological work. For example, awarding honorary medals to advanced youth, revealing the truth of the "July 11 protest" [6]6 The "July 11 protest" refers to rare anti-government demonstrations in Cuba on July 11, 2021, sparked by economic hardship and the COVID-19 pandemic. incident to young students, and focusing on developing Party members among youth groups. Furthermore, the Eighth Congress of the PCC also proposed strengthening political and humanistic care for youth, "to exert the strength of youth in all aspects, especially in the political sphere; to strengthen continuous attention to and contact with the Young Communist League and youth groups; to enhance communication, debate, and dialogue through various means; to focus on uniting and guiding youth on the internet and other informal fields, so that youth can participate more actively in the country's political, economic, and social processes." [7]7 This is a quotation from the documents of the Eighth Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba.

最后，重视对青年的思想政治教育。2021年4月，古共召开了第八次全国代表大会(以下简称“八大”),在这次代表大会上，古共空前重视党的思想教育工作，要求“逐步更新管理层和组织结构，增加青年群体的政治话语权，让青年共产主义者联盟干部继续向党内输送人才”。2022年是古巴青年共产主义者联盟成立60周年，也是何塞·马蒂先锋组织成立61周年。古巴为此举行了一系列活动以增强与青年群体的互动交流，加强青年意识形态工作。例如，向先进青年颁发荣誉勋章、向青年学生揭示“711 抗议游行”事件的真相、注重在青年群体中发展党员，等等。此外，古共八大还提出要加强对青年的政治关怀和人文关怀，“要在各方面特别是政治方面发挥青年的力量，要加强对共产主义青年联盟和青年群体的持续关注与联系，通过各种方式加强交流、辩论和对话，要注重在互联网和其他非正式领域团结和引领青年，使青年越来越积极地参与国家政治、经济和社会进程”。

II. Persistently Carrying Out the Fight Against Corruption

二、坚持不懈开展反腐败斗争

The Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) regards corruption as a betrayal of the fatherland; if it does not resolutely resist corruption and prevent degeneration, the Cuban socialist regime cannot be maintained for a single day. In the 1989 anti-corruption campaign, Major General Arnaldo Ochoa, Interior Minister José Abrantes, and several other high-ranking officers were arrested or dismissed. As a hero of the Cuban Revolution, Ochoa was arrested for using his position to collude with others in drug trafficking and smuggling. José Abrantes was dismissed mainly due to serious dereliction of duty; nine officers in the Interior Ministry were involved in drug smuggling, yet he was completely unaware. This shows that the PCC, regardless of how high a cadre’s position is, shows no leniency and deals severely with those who violate discipline, break the law, or engage in corruption and degeneration.

古共把腐败看作是对祖国的背叛，如果不坚持拒腐防变，古巴社会主义政权就一天也不能维持下去。在1989年的反腐败运动中，阿纳尔多·奥乔亚中将、内务部长何塞·阿夫兰中将等多名高级军官被捕或被解职。作为古巴革命胜利的功臣，奥乔亚被捕的原因是利用职务之便伙同他人贩卖毒品和从事走私活动。何塞·阿夫兰被解职的主要原因则是因为其严重失职，内务部有九名军官参与走私贩毒，其竟然毫不知情。由此可见，古共对违纪违法、贪污腐化的干部，不管职务有多高，是不留情面、严肃处理的。

The PCC believes that socialism is the science of example. Therefore, the ruling communist party must set a good example, regulate the moral conduct of Party cadres and members, and eradicate corruption. Because the central leaders and provincial- and ministerial-level leaders of the PCC have no special villas or official residences, most of them live together with the masses, so PCC leaders are constantly under the supervision of the masses. To this end, Cuba established a specialized Audit and Supervision Ministry in 2001 to better punish corrupt behavior. In the 2004 anti-corruption campaign, members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee were dispatched to various localities to inspect and supervise the implementation of anti-corruption actions. In this campaign, 13,000 unqualified Party members were promptly expelled from the Party, and more than 40,000 Party members received intra-Party disciplinary sanctions or criticism and education. The PCC resolutely removes leading cadres who embezzle more than 300 US dollars and ensures that those who should be dealt with by law are dealt with by law. In 2006, PCC Political Bureau member Agra Monte was expelled from the Party for abuse of power and sentenced to 12 years in prison. In May 2010, the PCC Political Bureau demanded that three Political Bureau members, including the President of the Council of Ministers of Cuba, voluntarily resign because their dereliction of duty had harmed the interests of the Party and the people. In December 2011, the Third Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the PCC [8]8 The Third Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (VI Congreso del Partido Comunista de Cuba, Tercer Pleno del Comité Central) was held in December 2011, focusing on economic and social policy guidelines and anti-corruption measures. adopted a resolution stipulating that corrupt elements must be expelled from the Party. In 2012, the PCC Central Committee adopted the resolution “Objectives of Party Work,” explicitly making the anti-corruption struggle one of the important contents of Party building and putting forward specific requirements for the work style construction of Party cadres and members. In December 2020, the PCC, in its notice convening the Eighth National Congress, especially emphasized the need to continuously struggle against corruption, crime, violations of social discipline, and other negative phenomena.

古共认为，社会主义是榜样的科学。因此，执政的共产党就必须树立好榜样，规范党员干部的道德行为，根除腐败。由于古共的中央领导人、省部级领导没有专门的别墅、官邸，他们大多数都和群众住在一起，因此古共领导人时刻都在群众的监督之下。为此，古巴于2001年专门成立了审计和监督部，以便更好地惩治腐败行为。在2004年的反腐败运动中，中央政治局委员分赴各地视察，监管反腐败行动的落实。在此次反腐运动中，1.3万名不合格的党员被及时清理出党，4万多名党员受到党内处分或者批评教育。古共对贪污300美元以上的领导干部坚决予以撤职，该法办的坚决予以法办。2006年，古共中央政治局委员阿格拉孟因滥用职权被开除党籍，并被判有期徒刑12年。2010年5月，古共政治局要求古巴部长会议主席等三名政治局委员主动辞职，原因是其三人因为工作失职而使党和人民利益受损。2011年12月，古共的六届三中全会专门通过决议规定，对腐败分子一律开除出党。2012年，古共中央通过了《党的工作目标》决议，明确将反腐败斗争作为党建工作的重要内容之一，对党员干部的作风建设提出了具体的要求。2020年12月，古共在召开的第八次全国代表大会通知中特别强调，要持续地与腐败、犯罪、违反社会纪律及其他消极现象作斗争。

Comprehensively strengthen supervision over Party cadres and members. To achieve full coverage of supervision over Party cadres and members, the PCC launched the construction of a “National Unified Supervision System.” The main body of this institution is composed of the Communist Party of Cuba, mass organizations, and civil organizations, aiming to mobilize the masses to report and supervise the illegal activities of Party cadres and members. At the same time, to avoid unjust, false, and erroneous cases and to maintain the impartiality of supervisory organs, the PCC also established a special Appeals Committee. This committee, while ensuring the efficient operation of intra-Party supervisory organs, also ensures the authority of intra-Party supervisory organs. To strictly enforce Party discipline and strengthen the implementation of Party discipline, the PCC, “by promulgating the ‘Regulations on the Application of Punishments of the Communist Party of Cuba,’ stipulates corresponding accountability and punishment measures for Party members who violate the Party Constitution, Party discipline, and Party policies, and for Party organs and grassroots organizations that violate Party principles or lines, as well as strict procedures for the application of each punishment measure. This not only urges Party cadres and members to strictly abide by Party regulations but also protects their basic rights.”

全方位加强对党员干部的监督。为实现对党员干部监督的全覆盖，古共发起了“全国统一监护体系”建设，该机构的主体由古巴共产党、群众组织和民间组织构成，旨在动员群众参与对党员干部不法行为的举报和监督。同时，为避免冤假错案的发生，也为维护监督机关的公正性，古共还专门设立了申诉委员会，该委员会在保证党内监督机构高效运作的同时，确保了党内监督机构的权威性。为严明党的纪律，加强党纪执行力度，古共“通过颁布《古巴共产党处罚适用条例》对违反党章党纪、党的政策的党员，违背党的原则或路线的党的机关和基层组织，规定了相应的问责处罚措施以及各处罚措施适用的严格程序，不仅促使党员干部严格遵守党的规定，而且保障了党员干部的基本权利”。

III. Rallying the People’s Hearts by Serving People’s Livelihoods

三、以服务民生凝聚人心

The PCC put forward economic reform policies at its Fourth Congress and proposed the development strategy of “beans are more important than cannons” at its Fifth Congress. Subsequently, it introduced a series of policies, achieving sustained economic growth. From an annual growth rate of 0.7% in 1994 to 5% in 2004, and then to 12.5% in 2007, it even maintained a growth rate of 4.3% in 2008, despite the economic crisis. Although Cuba’s overall level of productive forces is not high, it has always adhered to focusing on economic development and continuously improving the people’s living standards.

古共在党的“四大”上提出了经济改革的政策，在“五大”上提出了“芸豆比大炮重要”发展战略，此后又出台了一系列政策，实现了经济的持续增长。从1994年年增长率0.7%到2004年的5%,再到2007年的12.5%,即使在遭遇经济危机的2008年也保持了4.3%的增长率。虽然古巴整体的生产力水平不高，但其始终以坚持发展经济为重心，不断提高人民的生活水平。

With the progress of economic reform, Cuba also experienced social and economic inequality in distribution. After realizing the seriousness of the problem, the Cuban government decided to overcome the unfairness of social income distribution through appropriations. Regardless of the enormous economic and diplomatic pressure it faces, Cuba has never stopped investing in public welfare and social security. Under the leadership of Fidel Castro and others, the PCC adhered to the principles of socialist fairness and justice, explored various measures and policies conducive to the healthy development of the Cuban people and society, realized the rights of everyone to free education and free medical care, and safeguarded Cuba’s basic human rights.

随着经济改革的进行，古巴也出现了社会和经济分配不平等现象。在意识到问题的严重性之后，古巴政府决定通过拨款来克服社会收入分配不公的问题。无论面临多大的经济压力和外交压力，古巴从未停止对公益事业和社会福利的投入。古共在卡斯特罗等人的领导下，坚持社会主义的公平与公正原则，探索出了有利于促进古巴人民和社会健康发展的各项措施和政策，实现了人人免费受教育、免费医疗的权利，维护了古巴的基本人权。

Cuba’s most prominent achievements are mainly two: first, Cuba’s education; second, Cuba’s healthcare. Castro prioritized the development of education as a goal for economic and social development. To reduce the illiteracy rate, Cuba launched a “literacy” campaign shortly after the victory of the revolution and gradually improved the education system at different levels, from preschool education and vocational education to higher education. In 1961, the Cuban government promulgated the “Law on the Nationalization of Education” and announced the decision to implement free education. No matter how great the economic difficulties encountered, Cuba has always maintained sufficient investment in education to ensure that all citizens are in an equal position in enjoying the right to education. 1990 was the most difficult year for Cuba’s economy, but Cuba still did not reduce its investment in education; its education expenditure was more than double its military expenditure. In September 2002, according to statistics published by UNESCO and other international organizations, in a survey of seven education-related indicators, Cuba was slightly lower than two other countries in only one indicator, while ranking first or in the optimal position alongside other developed countries in the remaining six. Furthermore, Cuba has the highest ratio of teachers to population in the world; there is one teacher for every 42.23 people in Cuba, while in Denmark, which ranks second, there is one teacher for every 53.6 people. After the victory of the Cuban Revolution, investment in education continued to increase; by 2010, education expenditure accounted for 12.9% of GDP. Cuba implements universal free education; all education expenses are borne by the state. Regardless of the economic situation, the government strives to provide reliable material guarantees for Cuba’s educational development. Under the leadership of the PCC, Cuba has become a learning society, and the comprehensive quality of its citizens is continuously improving.

古巴最为突出的成就主要有两项：一是古巴的教育，二是古巴的医疗。卡斯特罗把发展教育作为经济和社会发展的优先考虑目标，为了降低文盲率，古巴在革命胜利后不久就发动了“扫盲”运动，并在革命后逐步完善了从学前教育、职业教育到高等教育等不同层次的教育体系。1961年，古巴政府颁布了《教育国有化法》,并宣布实行免费教育的决定。不管在经济上遇到多大的困难，古巴始终都保持着对教育的充分投入，以确保全体公民在享有教育权方面处于平等地位。1990年是古巴经济最为困难的一年，但古巴仍然没有减少对教育经费的投入，其教育经费比军事经费高出一倍之多。2002年9月，据联合国教科文组织等国家组织公布的统计数字表明，在有关教育的7个项目的调查中，古巴只有1项略低于其他两个国家，其余6项均居第一或与其他发达国家同样处于最优地位。此外，古巴还是世界上教师与人口比例最大的国家，古巴每42.23人中就有一名教师，而排名第二的丹麦每53.6人才有一名教师。古巴革命胜利后教育经费的投入不断增加，至2010年，教育经费占到GDP的12.9%。古巴实行全民免费教育，一切教育经费均由国家负担，不管经济状况如何，政府都努力为古巴的教育发展提供可靠的物质保障。在古共的领导下，古巴已经成为一个学习型社会，国民综合素质不断提高。

Under the leadership and support of Castro, Cuba quickly established a national public medical system. Cuba continuously explored the form of the universal public medical system and ultimately established a “three-tier” medical security system nationwide. Cuba enshrines in its constitution the state’s guarantee of the right to medical and health care for all citizens; medical treatment is free for all, without restriction by individual economic conditions. In addition to enjoying free medical treatment during hospitalization, patients also have their three daily meals and daily necessities provided by the hospital. Furthermore, Cuba implements a family doctor system, enabling the vast majority of residents to fully enjoy convenient, safe, and high-quality health services. Castro pointed out in his report to the Fifth Congress of the PCC: “We still do not charge fees for medical and health services, because they are basic welfare that the state provides to the people free of charge; this is one of the essential characteristics of our revolution.” Cuba invests heavily in public health. Currently, Cuba has 350,000 medical workers nationwide, including 70,000 doctors, of whom more than 30,000 are family doctors, covering 99.4% of the population. Although Cuba is a developing country, it has already achieved equal access to health rights for everyone. Moreover, the social security and welfare systems, such as universal healthcare and education, established during the long-term socialist construction, fully demonstrate the superiority of the Cuban socialist system. They are Cuba’s proud socialist achievements and the reason for its strong appeal.

在卡斯特罗的领导和支持下，古巴很快建立了全国公费医疗制度。古巴对全民公费医疗制度形式进行了持续不断的探索，并最终在全国建立起“三级医疗”保障体系。古巴将国家保障全体公民享有医疗卫生权利写入宪法，全民看病都是免费的，不受个人经济条件的限制。病人除在住院期间享受免费医疗待遇外，住院期间的一日三餐和生活必需品也由医院提供。此外，古巴还实行家庭医生制，使广大居民能够充分享受到方便、快捷、安全的卫生服务。卡斯特罗在古共“五大”报告中指出，我们在医疗卫生上依然不收费，因为它们是国家无偿给予人民的基本福利，这属于我们革命的本质特征之一。古巴对公共卫生事业的投入很大，现在，古巴全国有医务工作者35万人，医生7万人，其中家庭医生3万多人，覆盖面达到99.4%。古巴虽然属于发展中国家，但其已经能够做到人人享有平等的健康权。此外，在长期的社会主义建设中所建立起的全民医疗、教育等社会保障和福利体系，也充分彰显了古巴社会主义制度的优越性，是其引以为豪的社会主义成就，也是其具有强大吸引力的原因所在。

In addition, the PCC vigorously advances social construction. The Ninth Regular Session of the Ninth National People’s Power Assembly of Cuba voted to pass the new Family Code, which was promulgated and implemented in September 2022. The new Cuban Family Code aims to expand the protection of children and adolescents in special and disaster situations, strengthen emergency protection for victims of discrimination and violence, emphasize gender equality within the family, and reinforce shared responsibility for domestic work and childcare. After the Eighth Congress, the PCC prioritized food security for the first time; the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on global grain markets also confirmed the importance of food for the survival of a country, especially a small one. In September 2021, the Central Bank of Cuba allocated 447 million pesos for rice cultivation projects; simultaneously, Cuba strengthened agricultural cooperation with China, Vietnam, Japan, and other countries, hiring foreign experts to repair and renovate grain irrigation systems, and has already achieved increased production in some grain-producing regions.

除此之外，古共还大力推进社会建设。古巴第九届全国人大第九次常规会议表决通过了新《家庭法》,该法律于2022年9月颁布实施。古巴新《家庭法》旨在扩大在特殊和灾难情况下对儿童和青少年的保护，并加强针对歧视和暴力受害者的紧急保护等，强调家庭内部的性别平等，加强对家务劳动和儿童保育的共同责任。八大之后，古共第一次将粮食安全放在首位，俄乌冲突对全球粮食市场造成的冲击也印证了粮食对于一个国家特别是小国生存的重要性。2021年9月，古巴中央银行拨款4.47亿比索用于水稻种植项目；同时，古巴还加强了与中国、越南、日本等国在农业领域的合作，聘请外国专家修复、改造粮食灌溉系统，目前已实现了部分粮食产区的增产。

IV. Adhering to the Mass Line and Closely Linking the Party with the Masses

四、坚持走群众路线、密切党群关系

The PCC believes that a key factor in the collapse of the Soviet Communist Party was its neglect of mass work. To this end, the Communist Party of Cuba has established a working mechanism for leading cadres to regularly inspect grassroots units; leading cadres at all levels must participate in collective and public welfare activities organized by community organizations. The PCC has established a system for Political Bureau members to inspect grassroots units, stipulating that each Political Bureau member must regularly conduct grassroots research annually, go deep into the grassroots, preside over meetings of grassroots cadres and the masses, and write an inspection report after the research concludes. Furthermore, the Communist Party of Cuba strengthens ties with the masses through various political organizations; these mass organizations and social groups include organizations for workers, students, women, and small farmers. Additionally, Cuba has established the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution; together, these mass organizations cover nearly 100% of the national population. The Committees for the Defense of the Revolution are Cuba’s most extensive mass organization, with members accounting for over 90% of the population aged 14 and above. The PCC has set up “Centers for the Study of Public Opinion and Political and Social Situations” at the central, provincial, and municipal levels, primarily responsible for collecting public opinion and feedback from the masses, regularly reporting the opinions reflected by the masses to the central authorities, and providing timely responses.

古共认为，苏共亡党的一个关键因素是忽视了党的群众工作。为此，古巴共产党制定了领导干部定期到基层视察的工作机制，各级领导干部都要参加社区组织的集体活动和公益活动。古共建立了政治局委员视察基层制度，规定每个政治局委员每年都要定期到基层调研，深入基层，并主持召开基层干部群众会议，调研结束后还要撰写视察报告。此外，古巴共产党还通过各种政治组织加强同群众的联系，这些群众组织和社会团体包括工、学、妇、小农等群体组织。此外，古巴还成立了“保卫革命委员会”,这些群众组织加在一起覆盖面几乎达到国民的100%。“保卫革命委员会”是古巴最广泛的群众性组织，它的成员占全国14岁以上人口的90%以上。古共在中央、省、市三级设立了“舆论和政治社会情况研究中心”,主要负责舆论的收集和群众意见的反馈，将群众反映的意见定期上报中央，并及时回复。

The top leader of Cuba takes the lead by example, sets a personal example, and is honest and upright. PCC leaders have no privileges and do not engage in special treatment. Fidel Castro, as the main founder of the Communist Party of Cuba, possessed an iron will and a fiery passion for the cause he pursued; his life was very frugal, with a monthly salary of only 750 pesos, about 30 US dollars, the lowest among all heads of state in the world. He took the lead in signing the “Code of Ethics for State Cadres,” demanding that cadres at all levels set an impeccable moral example. Castro’s name is highly influential globally; the outside world first learns about Castro before beginning to understand Cuba. In Cuba, the salaries of Party and government cadres are completely public, and it is also stipulated that Party and government cadres are not allowed to engage in a second occupation, meaning Castro had no income other than his salary, from which he also had to pay Party dues and rent. Castro believed that only by setting a personal example could Party members and cadres have prestige and appeal among the masses and consolidate the Party’s leadership position. During the Cuban land reform period, he was the first to unconditionally contribute all 13,000 hectares of his family’s land to the public, and he also handed over all gifts worth millions of dollars he received in state interactions to the historian of Havana. Among PCC leaders, apart from Fidel Castro and Raúl Castro, all other Party and government officials use ordinary Lada cars; in fact, many Cuban leaders commute by bicycle. Additionally, the Cuban government has a regulation that when official vehicles with red or blue license plates have empty seats, ordinary people along the way can hitch a ride. In terms of housing, most Cuban workers’ housing is uniformly allocated, with allocation standards based on actual need rather than official rank. Except for a few leaders with official residences, Cuba has not built separate residential areas for leading cadres; leading cadres are mostly scattered among ordinary residential areas. In terms of daily necessities supply, Party and government officials have no special supplies; in terms of medical care, except for a few leaders, all leading cadres go to general hospitals for medical treatment, just like the masses.

古巴最高领导人带头垂范，以身作则，清正廉洁。古共领导人没有特权，不搞特殊化。菲德尔·卡斯特罗作为古巴共产党的主要创始人，有着钢铁般的意志，对所从事的事业有火一样的热情，其生活非常简朴，工资每月只有750比索，大约30美元左右，是世界上所有国家元首中工资最低的。他带头在《国家干部道德法规》上签字，要求各级干部要在道德上起到无可挑剔的榜样作用。卡斯特罗的名字在全球非常有影响力，外界都是先了解卡斯特罗之后才开始了解古巴。在古巴，党政干部的工资是完全公开的，且还规定党政干部不准从事第二职业，这就意味着卡斯特罗除了工资以外没有其他收入，而在这份工资中还要交纳党费和房租等。卡斯特罗认为，党员干部只有以身作则才能在群众中有威信和号召力，才能巩固党的领导地位。在古巴土地改革时期，他最早把自己家族中的13000公顷土地全部无条件奉公，还把他在国家交往中收受的价值数以百万美元的礼品全部交给哈瓦那市的历史学家。在古共领导人中，除了菲德尔·卡斯特罗和劳尔·卡斯特罗外，其他党政官员一律使用普通的拉达牌轿车，事实上，古巴的许多领导人是骑自行车上下班的。此外，古巴政府还有一个规定，即凡是挂着红牌和蓝牌照的公车在行驶中有空位置的时候，沿途的老百姓都可以搭便车。在住房方面，古巴职工的住房大多数是统一分配的，分配标准是按照实际需要，而不是按照官职级别高低。除个别领导人有官邸外，古巴没有为领导干部建造单独居住区，其领导干部大都分散居住在普通居民区中。在生活品供应方面，党政官员也没有特供；在医疗方面，除个别领导人外，所有领导干部都同群众一样，到一般医院看病。

The state stipulates that the salaries of Party and government cadres must not be higher than those of enterprise leaders at the same level; the salaries of Cuban ministerial-level leaders are still lower than those of professors and scientific and technical personnel. Within the PCC, there is no material reward for motivating cadres. For outstanding cadres recognized by the masses, the PCC issues certificates of honor, such as Party membership certificates and cadre certificates of honor. The Party membership certificate is proof of a member’s identity and a high political honor; the certificate of honor is issued by the Party organization to full-time Party cadres who have worked for five years, bearing Castro’s seal, and is presented in a very solemn setting to give the recipient a strong sense of honor.

国家规定，党政机关干部的工资不得高于同级企业领导人的工资，古巴部长级领导人的工资仍然低于教授和科技人员的工资。在古共内部，对干部的激励是没有物质奖励的。对于表现突出、群众认可的优秀干部，古共会为其颁发荣誉证书，如党证和干部荣誉证书。党证是党员身份的证明，是一种很高的政治荣誉；荣誉证书则是党组织向工作满五年的党的专职干部颁发的印有卡斯特罗印章的荣誉证书，荣誉证书是在非常庄重的场合下颁发的，目的是使授证党员特别有荣誉感。

The masses participate in formulating Party policies. In Cuba, major policies concerning the national economy and people’s livelihood must be decided and implemented only after gaining the approval of the majority of the masses. For example, Cuba’s defense, education, and medical fields are not open to the outside world; this is the result of comprehensive surveys, understanding, and discussion. Because Party building itself inherently includes “constant dialogue with the masses; the Party must be good at listening to the views and opinions of the masses.”[6]6 The "July 11 protest" refers to rare anti-government demonstrations in Cuba on July 11, 2021, sparked by economic hardship and the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, the PCC has convened eight National Congresses, each proposing new policies and guidelines. The Fourth National Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba was held in October 1991 under unprecedented difficulties for Cuba, and the issues discussed concerned the fate and future of Cuba. The PCC decided to organize a nationwide mass discussion. A year and a half before the Fourth Congress, the PCC Central Committee issued an “appeal” to the whole country regarding the convening of the Congress, calling on the entire nation to pay attention to the affairs of the Party and the state. Subsequently, the PCC mobilized the entire Party and the whole people to engage in a mass discussion of the appeal, allowing citizens to freely express their opinions, while also requiring Party members and cadres to actively guide the masses and defend the Party’s stance. Such large-scale mobilization of the masses by the PCC is very rare among countries worldwide. This mass discussion “lasted several months, with 3.5 million people nationwide participating and putting forward over 1.2 million opinions, including many sharp criticisms.” Through this mass discussion, the relationship between the PCC and the masses became closer.

群众参与制定党的政策。在古巴，事关国计民生的大政方针都要征得多数群众认同后再作出决定付诸实施，例如，古巴的国防、教育、医疗领域不对外开放，这是经过全面调查、了解和讨论的结果。因为党的建设本身也内在地包含了“同群众的经常对话，党一定要善于倾听群众的看法和意见”[6]。到目前为止，古共已经召开过八次全国代表大会，每次党代会都提出了新的方针政策。古巴共产党的第四次全国代表大会是在古巴空前困难的情况下于1991年10月召开的，其讨论的问题关系到古巴的命运和前途。古共决定在全国组织大讨论。古共中央在“四大”召开前的一年半时间，向全国发表了召开党代会的“呼吁书”,号召全国人民关注党和国家大事。之后，古共发动全党和全国人民对呼吁书进行大讨论，让国民自由发表意见，同时也要求党员干部要积极引导群众，捍卫党的立场。像古共这样大规模动员群众，在世界各个国家都是非常罕见的，这次大讨论“持续数月之久，全国有350万人参加，提出120多万条意见，其中包括许多尖锐的批评”,经过此次大讨论，古共与群众的关系更为密切。

Smooth channels for expressing public opinion. In Party-mass relations, the PCC particularly emphasizes broad and profound exchange and expression, rather than absolute consensus, to ensure that the masses can express their opinions genuinely and effectively. The drafting of the political documents for the PCC’s Fifth Congress fully reflected the principles of mass participation and smooth channels for expressing public opinion; the draft of the Fifth Congress political documents was submitted for discussion inside and outside the Party five months in advance, with over 6.5 million people participating in this discussion. The PCC Sixth Congress document, the “Economic and Social Policy Guidelines” (hereinafter referred to as the “Guidelines”), from its publication on November 7, 2010, to February 7, 2011, generated a total of 2.346 million opinions, with over 7 million Cuban residents participating in the discussion and over 3 million people speaking at meetings. Through the mass discussion, the PCC Central Committee supplemented and improved the original 181 articles of the “Guidelines” and merged corresponding items. The political resolution adopted by the PCC Eighth Congress proposed promoting the institutionalization and standardization of Party-mass relations, which will further improve the mechanism for expressing public opinion and strengthen Party-mass relations.

畅通民意表达渠道。在党群关系中，古共特别注重广泛深刻的交流、表达，而不是绝对的意见一致，以确保群众能够真实有效地表达意见。古共五大的政治文件的起草就充分体现了群众参与和畅通民意表达渠道的原则，五大政治文件草案提前5个月就提交党内外进行讨论，并有650多万人参加了这场讨论。古共六大文件《经济和社会政策纲要》(以下简称《纲要》)从2010年11月7日公布至2011年2月7日止，共提出了234.6万条意见，超过700万古巴居民参加讨论，有300多万人在会上发言。通过大讨论，古共中央将原来《纲要》中的181条进行了补充和完善，并对相应条目进行了合并。古共八大通过的政治决议提出了要促进党群关系制度化、规范化建设，这将进一步完善民意表达机制，密切党群关系。

V. Conclusion

五、结语

Cuban socialism is a product of the national-democratic liberation movement of the world proletariat after World War II. To this day, the Communist Party of Cuba has successfully governed for half a century. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba, the Cuban people have united as one, with their hearts toward the motherland, overcoming the “dual pressures” of the US blockade and the drastic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Not only has the Cuban red flag remained aloft, but they have also achieved great successes in socialist construction and have been relatively successful in Party building.

古巴社会主义是第二次世界大战后世界无产阶级民族民主解放运动的产物。直至今日，古巴共产党已成功执政半个世纪之久，在古巴共产党的领导下，古巴人民团结一致、心向祖国，战胜了美国的封锁和苏东剧变带来的“双重压力”,不仅使古巴红旗不倒，而且在社会主义建设方面也取得了巨大成就，且在党的建设方面也比较成功。

A Marxist ruling party must consciously accept supervision by the masses. From the moment they join the Party, members of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) must accept supervision by the masses; Party membership must be recommended by the masses, and recognition of their moral character by the masses must be obtained, so as to ensure that PCC members win the approval and support of the masses from the very beginning. In addition to establishing complaint committees at all levels to give play to the role of institutions in supervision, Cuba also places great emphasis on relying on the strength of the masses to strengthen supervision. For the PCC, the power of supervision by the masses is immense; it is a form of "external" supervision not constrained by time or space, and its power derives from the equalization of life between PCC cadres and the masses. The exercise of supervision by the masses not only plays a role in curbing corruption but also strengthens Party-mass relations, unites the Party's will with popular sentiment, and enhances the Party's prestige.

马克思主义执政党要自觉接受群众监督。古共党员从入党那一刻就要接受群众的监督，党员入党必须经过群众推荐，而且必须征得群众对其品质的认定，以确保古共党员从一开始就得到群众的认可和拥护。古巴除了成立各级申诉委员会，发挥制度在监督中的作用外，还十分注重依靠群众力量来强化监督。对于古共来说，群众监督的力量是巨大的、是不受时间和空间限制的一种“异体”监督，其力量来自于古共干部和群众在生活上的平等化。群众监督作用的发挥，不仅起到了遏制腐败的作用，而且密切了党群关系、凝聚了党心民心，提高了党的威信。

A Marxist ruling party must have a good work style. The PCC has a principle called "national harmony," [12]12 "National harmony" (全国和谐) refers to the PCC's principle of extensive mass participation and discussion before central decision-making on major policies, aiming to maximize reflection of popular will. meaning that all major policies and guidelines must mobilize the masses for broad participation and discussion, and only then are decisions made centrally by the leadership, striving to reflect the will of the masses to the greatest extent. Participatory democracy has promoted the effective participation of the Cuban people in discussing and deciding the country's major policies and guidelines; "the participation of the people is the core of democracy" has become a consensus among the masses. The PCC believes that the Party must have its own lofty responsibilities, and Party members need to uphold the moral character, authority, prestige, and exemplary vanguard role befitting a Communist. Cadres at all levels of the Party must take the lead in being honest, benevolent, disciplined, responsible, and incorruptible and selfless. The PCC has already normalized going deep into the grassroots and the masses. In addition, the PCC Central Committee has established a system of regular inspection tours by leading cadres and carries out direct dialogue activities between leaders and grassroots masses.

马克思主义执政党要有好的作风。古共有一个原则叫“全国和谐”,即一切大政方针要动员群众广泛参与和研讨，最后才由中央集中作出决策，力争最大限度反映群众意愿。参议制民主推动了古巴人民有效参与讨论、决策国家大政方针，“人民的参与是民主的核心”已经成为群众共识。古共认为，党要有自己的崇高责任，党员需要维护共产党员应有的品德、权威、声望和革命表率作用。党的各级干部要率先做到诚实仁爱、守纪律、有责任心和清廉无私。古共已经将深入基层、深入群众常态化。此外，古共中央还建立了领导干部定期视察制度，并开展领导人同基层群众直接对话活动。

A Marxist ruling party must persist in theoretical innovation. "Only by consolidating the Party's national and localized foundations can the Party gain a continuous source of momentum and the Party's cause gain vitality." Marxism can be innovated and developed in step with the times only when it is combined with the national conditions of a given country and rooted in its national culture. Although it has encountered many challenges in the course of building socialism, the Communist Party of Cuba has always held high the great banner of Marxism-Leninism, persisted in socialist practice with localized characteristics, and promoted the development of Marxism in the 21st century.

马克思主义执政党要坚持理论创新。“只有巩固党的民族性和本土化根基，才能使党获得源源动力、党的事业获得勃勃生机。”马克思主义只有与本国国情相结合，立足于本国的民族文化，才能与时俱进地创新和发展。尽管在社会主义道路建设中遇到了诸多挑战，但古巴共产党始终高举马克思列宁主义伟大旗帜，坚持具有本土化特色的社会主义实践，推动了21世纪马克思主义的发展。

A Marxist ruling party must give play to the role of grassroots organizations and strive to forge strong bastions of the Party. The Communist Party of Cuba believes that any Party institution should promptly listen to the demands of the masses and respond to them earnestly and quickly. To give full play to the Party's advantage of connecting with the masses, it is necessary to strengthen the Party's organizational building. Only by attaching importance to grassroots organizational building can the PCC achieve the normalization of supervision of the ruling party by the masses, integrate with the masses, and enhance the Party's cohesion and centripetal force.

马克思主义执政党要发挥基层组织作用，着力打造党的坚强堡垒。古巴共产党认为，党的任何机构都应该及时听取群众诉求，并认真迅速地予以回应。而要发挥好党联系群众的优势，就必须要加强党的组织建设。只有重视基层组织建设，才能使古共实现群众对执政党监督的常态化，并与群众融为一体，提升党的凝聚力和向心力。

(Author's bio: Liang Xiaoyu, born 1984, Professor, Party Building Teaching and Research Department, Party School of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the CPC, Doctor of Laws)

（作者简介：梁晓宇，1984年生，中共四川省委党校党建教研部教授，法学博士）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心