The Poor Man responds to, among others, Brad DeLong

The Editors write

nspired by discussions of Cuba’s place in the world here, here, here, and doubtless other places.

Human Development Index -
12 ▼ (4) Flag of the United States United States ▲ 0.951
51 ▼ (1) Flag of Cuba Cuba ▲ 0.838
52 ▲ (1) Flag of Mexico Mexico ▲ 0.829

Freedom In The World -
Flag of Cuba Cuba 7 7 Not Free
Flag of Mexico Mexico* 2 3 Free
Flag of the United States United States* 1 1 Free

Happy Planet Index -
6 Cuba 61.86
38 Mexico 54.39
150 United States of America 28.83

except that, for some reason, he has the flags not this dumb "Flag of the United States" crap (uh oh might get in trouble for that I meant to type "Flag of Cuba" crap).

I comment

Good to add data to the debate. I would just like to mention that DeLong said Cuba should be compared to Northern Mexico not the whole country. Here will be* his list
“That is the wrong comparison: Cuba in 1960 is like Costa Rica, northern Mexico, Puerto Rico, or Portugal.”

off to the HDI
▼ Portugal ▼ 0.897
Costa Rica ▲ 0.846
(1998) Puerto Rico ▬ 0.942
Cuba ▲ 0.838

2005 except for Puerto Rico.

Unless something really bad has happened in Puerto Rico, the guess that HDI followed income in 1960 would imply that Cuba has performed very badly poorly. Also Costa Rica has nothing much to brag about (except making peace in Nicaragua).

*If as DeLong asserts it is 1960 neither he nor the editors have written their posts, but like the medium lobster I am not bound by time.