It has been possible because the citizens themselves supported the regime’s arbitrary policies
14ymedio, Karel J. Leyva, Montreal, 4 August 2024 — Domination manifests itself when an agent – whether a person, an institution or the State – has the ability to arbitrarily intervene in the decisions and actions of another, without taking into account their interests and without the latter being able to question or counteract said intervention. Power is considered arbitrary when it acts according to the capricious will or idiosyncratic judgment of those who exercise it.
Domination refers not only to active intervention but also to the mere possibility of such intervention. A commonly cited case to illustrate the subtle forms of domination is the dynamic between a master and a slave. Domination exists both when a master constantly intervenes to regulate every aspect of his slave’s life, and when he is benevolent towards the latter, allowing him to do as he pleases. The underlying idea is that, even when the master acts benevolently, the mere possibility of depriving the slave at any time of the benefits he bestows upon him, qualifies the relationship as one of domination.
Let us consider the Cuban context. In theory, an outside observer might think that citizens of Cuba have the freedom to leave and enter their own country (leaving aside the insurmountable inequalities between them; even overlooking the fact that such “freedom” depends largely on how much one is willing to sacrifice, from the most intimate and sacred properties and ties, to one’s own life in many cases). However, the stark reality is that the Cuban government maintains intact the ability to put an end to this supposed freedom. When it prevents a dissident from leaving the country, or when it capriciously forces him into exile, it is exercising domination. Even when it does not intervene, it finds itself in the same position as the benevolent master, who allows the slave to come and go, as long as the master pleases.
Domination refers not only to active intervention but also to the mere possibil
