Cuba's Peak Oil Story: Lessons to be learned for those who will listen

When the Soviet Union collapsed, Cuba's economy crashed as their primary source of oil suddenly disappeared. Cuba entered what was termed as the "Special Period". During this period, roughly the entire decade of the 1990s, Cuba was forced to reinvent its economy as well as its society. The economic problems were largely the result of the lack of oil, which was then exacerbated by American policies to exploit this period to bring about the final collapse of Fidel Castro's government.

American measures such as the Helms Burton Act of 1996 and its preceding policies beginning in 1992 strove to push the Cuban population towards revolution. The measures ultimately failed. The following documentary tells the story of how Cuba managed to restructure its economy and society to overcome the "Special Period". There are lessons here that every country on Earth needs to begin learning if human progress is going to continue into the future.

The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil