Comparison of the People’s Republic of China and The Republic of Cuba: Constitutional Systems and Changes in the New Order

Abstract

Thanks to the establishment of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) at the beginning of the 20th century and its importance in the Cold War period, socialist ideals and socialism have become one of our recent history's most popular philosophies. Therefore, socialism has expanded its influence throughout the world. During this period, several countries in East Asia, Europe, and South America have adopted socialism/communism in the building process of their political regimes. However, after the dissolution of the USSR in the early 1990s, several changes and developments took place both in the international order and in most socialist countries in political, economic, and social terms. In most of these socialist countries, which were formerly opposed to capitalism and liberalism, there has been a transition to capitalism, especially with regard to their understanding of the economy. Despite the changes, socialist/communist ideas, values, and practices maintained their legitimacy in their political regimes. The People's Republic of China and the Republic of Cuba are the two countries that the study focuses on in the context of this continuity and change. The study comparatively examines the transition process of the China and Cuba to the socialist system; the political structures established after the socialist revolution; the changes in the two countries after the decline of socialism. The study based on the qualitative research methods. The central thesis of this study is that the political structure of both countries has not moved away from the order envisaged by the socialist system and that their understanding of the economy has gradually transformed to include capitalist mechanisms and practices. Finally, the main argument of this study is that China and Cuba have preserved most of the conventional structure of their political system, while their economies are on the way to adapting to the international capitalist economy.