It is difficult to say whether Cuba's brand of communism is an effective form of government. Like many other countries, their model of governing has been credited with both accomplishments and shortcomings. Despite their dedicated emphasis to nationalized education and healthcare programs, Cuba has struggled economically which in many ways has determined how the United States views the efficiency of Castro's regime. As Americans are accustomed to a capitalist society with materialism and individuality being the sources of motivation, attempting to understand the implementations and byproducts of the Cuban Revolution from an unbiased point of view is nearly impossible.

            Education has been a primary goal of the Cuban government since its inception in 1959 and has experienced a significant measure of achievement in its applied programs. Prior to this date, education was practically unavailable to more than half of Cuban children and was predominantly only accessible to the wealthy. Within the first 5 years of the new government, multiple programs had been implemented which had enrolled thousands of young Cubans into schools and helped increase the national literacy rate. Over the course of 40 years from the time of the revolution, the government had also begun increasing the number of universities, which in turn experienced an increase in enrollments. The expansion of universities was a response primarily prompted by the fact that Cuba had cultivated a dependency on foreign help to manage many of the most important aspects of the national economy while neglecting to focus attention on other technological programs.

            Another area where significant improvements had been made were in the fields of health care and nutrition. The decrease of services and product costs created immediate and direct improvements in the quality of diet among the Cuban people. By implementing a rationing program in the early stages of the new government, households were allotted a minimum allowance of critical foods important to combating the issue of malnutrition, which was ultimately eradicated from the island. In addition, health care before the revolution had been concentrated in only certain areas of Cuba and favored those of wealth, especially people residing in Havana and other regional cities. Professional training programs for lab technicians and other medical fields as well as a successful execution of pre-emptive medicine led to improved national health conditions.

In contrast to their achievements in the areas of education and healthcare, the Cuban government has struggled economically since its adoption of communism which has added to the negative view of Cuba by the United States. Soon after Fidel Castro's government took control, the country began building a steady relationship with the U.S.S.R. and became the beneficiary of financial assistance from their new communist ally. However, by the late 1980's Soviet financial support for Cuba's economy began to break down. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba had depended on Moscow for their economic aid and guaranteed markets of exports. Russia had been providing petroleum at below-market rates while paying for over-priced sugar in return. Ultimately, this downfall of the Cuban economy and dismantlement of the Soviet Union set up the eventual "Special Period."

The United States' often-negative critique of Cuban communism and its ability to effectively govern is not entirely a fair judgment. Like numerous other leaders, Fidel Castro and his advisors have been credited with both achievements and inadequacies. Though the United States is certainly one of the most economically prosperous nations in the world, Americans often fail to analyze other countries within the context of their respective governments. Though the quality of life may not be as high in Cuba in comparison to the U.S., Cubans place great value in their ability to take advantage of programs that are not as extensively available in neighboring nation states. Despite their committed efforts to implement successful education and healthcare programs, Cuba's inability to establish a stable economy has drawn severe criticism. During the early years of the United States, Americans experienced similar economic and governmental instability that caused many to question whether or not gaining independence from England was prudent. Eventually, perseverance and the dedicated efforts of people helped guarantee the future success of the United States. Ultimately, Cuba's desire to alleviate and resolve the issues of economic, industrial, and technological problems will dictate whether or not Cuba can be viewed as an effective government. However, to judge a nation within its first 50 years is impetuous, premature and ignores the very origins of America's own birth.