Dollarization, Distortion, and the Transformation of Work

One of the most significant changes for Cubans since the start of the Special Period has been the development of a range of new income-earning opportunities ranging from work in the formal state sector, to a newly established "private" sector, and/or in growing informal and black markets. While the significance of the increasing heterogeneity of Cuba's labour market may be difficult to imagine from the perspective of the North American labour market, which is itself based upon a great diversity of economic activity and forms of property ownership, it represents a dramatic shift for Cuban workers. This article explores the significance of the transformation of work in Cuba from the perspective of Cuban workers and asks what broader implications these changes might have for Cubans' changing ideas about work, citizenship and models of political governance.