Haiti

During the last few weeks we have seen horrifying images coming from Haiti. We saw crying children, mountains of rubble, a destroyed capitol building, and a level of destruction in Port-au-Prince that we have not seen in recent memory. The real tragedy, however, is that even before this earthquake, this country was in a very desperate situation.

Many people have wondered how a country could be so poor and so desperate. Some have even suggested that a pact with the devil is the only explanation for Haiti’s misfortunes. Others would say the Haitians have just been a very unlucky people. I would say luck had very little to do with it.

Haiti is on the island of Hispaniola. Christopher Columbus landed on this island on December 5, 1492. The Spanish enslaved the native population to mine the gold and the natural resources of this island. After the native population was virtually wiped out by smallpox, the Spanish imported African slaves to augment their gold mining endeavors.

Eventually, the French came to rule this island, and they continued many of the practices of their Spanish predecessors. By the late 1700s, the French empire was in ruin. It could no longer hold onto many of its possessions in the New World. In 1804, Haiti won its independence from France and became a nation. France’s response to this was to make Haiti pay reparations. France claimed that if Haiti was independent, France would loose the investment that they had made in the slave population of Haiti. If Haiti did not want to fight a prolonged war, they would have to PAY NOT TO BE SLAVES. France charged this new nation of Haiti (which had no money) 21 billion dollars plus interest. For the next 90 years, 80% of Haiti’s economy was being used to pay back the French. When they couldn’t keep up this pace, they took other loans from other countries to pay this debt. They were even loaned money by the United States in 1922, and had to pay that off as well.

As of last year, Haiti still owed 1.8 billion dollars. This amount seems reasonable when you consider that the U.S. debt is in the trillions. The difference is that 80% of Haiti’s population has an annual salary of less than 100 dollars per year. In fact, after the earthquake, Haiti was LOANED more money (not given) to rebuild the infrastructure of the country.

Add to this situation a genocide that took place in 1922 when the US established a border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The response of the Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo was to execute 20,000 Haitians on the Dominican side of the border. For the next 50 years there were policies put in place that fostered discrimination toward the Haitian people. I am not excusing the corrupt government that existed in Haiti in recent times, but this county is not cursed or unlucky, but rather the result of economic and social policy.

This story is repeated all around the world. When you look at the countries in Africa, Asia and South America you can observe a similar pattern. The people in these countries are often categorized as lazy and unmotivated. I will acknowledge that greed and corruption on the part of their governments has often played a part in the lack of development in these countries. I also admit that the destiny of these countries is ultimately in the hands of their citizens. I also am of the belief that the history of exploitation and colonialism of these countries is something that Europe and America should realize.

This history should be taken into account when forming both opinion and policy regarding the developing nations. There is no greater example of this than the continent of Africa. The African slave trade has not existed in the world to the extent that it did in the 17th century. Although the practice is no longer tolerated as an institution, its effects are felt even today. Imagine you live in an African country in the 1600s. The youngest and strongest members of your population are taken away on ships. The smartest people in your population are executed. All of the scientists, teachers, craftsmen, and political figures are killed are imprisoned. This is done for a period of hundreds of years. How long do you think it would take the people that are left to rebuild this country? In addition to that, the process of colonialism strips your land of all of its natural resources during the course of the next 100 years. Even if the remaining population wants to build an industry, the country has been stripped of its natural resources. Add to that the psychological effect of slavery and colonization through generations. When some of these countries such as Haiti do manage to win their freedom, they will face considerable challenges.

Variations of this theme have played in Indo-China and South East Asia as well as in Central and South America, and in countries in the Caribbean like Haiti. I do not think that it is helpful for developing nations to foster a guilt complex in the psyche of the west. I think that is ultimately not good for anyone. I do think that Western Europe and America must share in the responsibility of aiding these countries. We must realize our hand in their misfortune.

There are several countries around the world that are in desperate situations (East Timor, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Congo, Solomon Islands, Liberia, and on and on). There are a whole list of countries that bear the scars of slavery and colonialism. They have desperate economic challenges that stem from a crushing debt that they have no hope of paying back. I am not suggesting that America and Europe have to help all of them. I am suggesting that it is in our long term best interests to help many of them. Decreasing the amount of suffering in this world ultimately makes us all safer. It is in our best interest to help the people of Haiti, but it is also in our best interests to help other countries that need our help. Jeff Sachs in his book “The End of Poverty” makes several suggestions of how to end extreme poverty. He makes the point that industrialized nations rarely take this opportunity seriously. He also points out that America gives more than any other country but that is still 0.16 of 1% of our GDP.

When we see this interconnected world that we live in and we see the results of the devastation in places like Haiti, I must ask, “Is 0.16 of 1% enough?” When we consider the role that failed states play in our national security I must ask “Is 0.16 of 1% enough?” I believe that the people in these societies must ultimately decide to help themselves, but I do think that we as the only super power have a very important role to play. I wonder if we can effectively play this role when we commit less than 1% of our resources. I still think that if the world works together we can solve all our problems. For the first time in history we have the technology, knowledge, and the resources to fix many of these problems. The question is "Do we as a country and as a planet have the will to fix them?"

As I am writing this article I cannot shake the sense of inadequacy and guilt that I am feeling. I do not feel this way because of American indiscretions. I do not feel guilty because I have so much and others have so little. I feel inadequate because I do not feel I am doing enough. I gave to the Red Cross, I did the text message thing, and I gave to the missionaries that a community church is sending to Haiti next month. I am going to give to the clothing drive at the place I work. I wonder when those Red Cross workers see the insurmountable circumstances all around them if they feel they are doing enough. I wonder if doctors who go to these areas think they can ever do enough. In light of these observations I have to come to the conclusion that I could do more – but I choose not to. Then I come to the conclusion that the people I care most about an even respect and admire could do more but have made the same choice I made. Finally, I come to the conclusion that this country that I love so much could do so much more and makes the same choice that I have.

Addendum

As I trail off to sleep after writing this article, I am reminded of the power of the individual. In the wake of all this suffering, it would be easy for me to see the futility of my efforts and the efforts or others. The idea from which I can derive some hope and get 4 hours of sleep is the idea that collectively our good works – no matter how small – can be significant. I cannot rewind time and fix the wrongs of America’s past. I cannot undo hundreds of years of racism and oppression. I cannot undo the earthquake. I can only hope that my efforts – no matter how small – when teamed with the small (and not so small) efforts of others can bring about a change for good in this world.