Ending the Cuban Trade Embargo

There has been a trade embargo by the United States on the nation of Cuba for more than 50 years. That’s 50 years of trading very little (exemptions exist for humanitarian food items) in hopes of affecting some sort of change in the Cuban government.

I do believe that in 2011, we can finally say that the Cuban Embargo has failed at its original intent.

The original embargo was passed under the JFK administration in 1960 due to nationalization of American companies and property in Cuba. It was later amended to include nearly every aspect of trade with Cuba in 1962.

Granted, that time was during the heat of the Cold War.

I can understand both the political and military necessity of such an embargo at the time, but it has been more than two decades since the end of the Cold War. We no longer live in constant fear of a perceived Communist threat.

Truthfully it is not beneficial for either the United States or Cuba. Why is the embargo bad for Americans and Cubans?

First, it is limiting a relatively large potential trade partner very close to the United States. The embargo did not remove Fidel Castro from power and another 50 years of this embargo will not remove his successors.

All the United States is doing now is economically shooting itself in the foot to maintain this outdated tradition of ignoring a neighbor to the south. Second, the embargo actually helped to keep Castro in power. Nearly every economic issue in Cuba can now be blamed on the United States’ embargo.

What would effect real change in this socialist dictatorship would be to open the doors to trade with the United States.

The sheer amount of new capital that would flow into Cuba would surely have transformational effects.

Now, one could also argue that there would also be negative consequences on the Cuban economy by having normalized relations with the United States. I strongly believe the positive effects would outweigh the negatives at the end of the day.

Trade embargoes and other economic sanctions are notoriously ineffective, especially when it is utilized by one country.

Sure, if every country in the world decided not to trade with Cuba, change would happen very quickly. Since the United States is one of the only countries that does so, nothing is going to change within Cuba.

Finally, if the United States can vote to normalize economic relations with China, it can do the same with Cuba. China has its share of human rights and political issues, yet we still do an enormous amount of trade.

Every President since JFK has supported the embargo, even Barack Obama. Think of the amount of tourism that Cuba would receive the minute the embargo is removed (for those of you who enjoy cigars, think of the Cuban cigars). Cuba would have the benefit of an economic boom and the United States would gain a valuable trading partner.

It is time we stopped living in the past, step into the 21st century and end the trade embargo on Cuba.