Chapter 3

The Late 1980s campaign to “rectify errors and negative tendencies”

Moral Campaign and Policy Changes

Moral Campaign 1986: Launched campaign to rectify errors Involved “battle of ideas” political and

ideological “to correct negative tendencies”

Policy Changes No formal blueprint Minibrigades and construction contingents

promoted White collar jobs slashed

State Efforts to Address Emergent Process

Sociadedes anonimas- semiautonomous state agencies

One of the best known was Cubanacan. The government, partly through the

promotions of sociedades anonimas and foreign investment aggressively encourages western tourism during the period of “rectification”.

Tourists increased from 130,000 in 1980 to 360,000 by the decade’s end.

Impact of the Rectification Process

• By the end of the 1980’s the state’s political/economic problems were not solved

• Cutoff of Soviet-bloc aid had huge significance on the fiscal issues the state was experiencing

• Land productivity deteriorated during the period of Rectification

• Time of focus on industrial gains rather than directly appreciable goods.

• Morale for the Rectification Process was almost non-existent even amongst bureaucratic elite