USA and Haiti. For the USA, first was Declaration of Independence, second was War. For Haiti, first was War, second was Declaration of Independence. BIG DIFFERENCE. Years before 1776, the founders of the USA debated, argued, counter-argued about the requirements, attributes, qualities needed for nationhood, thus slowly forming a proper mindset and proper temperament of the american people for eventual nationhood. In the case of Haiti, there was first Rebellion, visceral Anger, most Righteous Anger, blood-churning lust for Revenge against the French colonists. War was engaged and won by the Haitian slaves. A war engaged without aforethought, without afterthought akin to a fight initiated by a hot-headed person driven by righteous anger. The war won, what now? Declaration of Independence of 1804 was the only valid alternative because re-inviting French rule defeats the purpose of the war. The key point is: in 1804 the Haitian people was not prepared for effective nation building. That the French came back in 1826, required and actually got reparations from Haïti implies that Haïti's independence was a façade, a joke. With Independence comes responsibility and the (supposed) ability to defend oneself. After 1804 Haïti built 20-odd fortresses about 5 miles inland: they would concede coastal areas because France had a Navy and Haiti did not. But Haiti got overextended with their invasion of the Dominican Republic (1821-1844). Ooops!!! But, but, but Haiti did not invade the DR, Haiti occupied the DR by INVITATION!!! Yep. In 1915 the USA occupied Haiti by INVITATION!!! In 1938 Germany occupied Austria by INVITATION!!! In 2014 Russia occupied Crimea by INVITATION!!! Independence Day in the DR celebrates independence from Haiti, not from Spain.
Why Haiti began and remains poor (pt 1 of 11). During its colonial days, Haiti’s slave plantations supplied over half of the world’s sugar. But after the slaves gained their freedom from the brutal regime and the country declared independence in 1804, sugar disappeared from the economy as small farms produced coffee, subsistence agriculture, and food for local markets. In 1950, when Haiti was at least producing some sugar, its exports were far behind comparable countries: sugar exports in Puerto Rico were 35 times higher, and in the Dominican Republic exports were 14 times higher. A common explanation for Haiti’s resistance to producing sugar is that Haitian culture rejected the industry because of the associated historical traumas. However Haitians went to the DR, Cuba, even Puerto Rico to harvest sugar cane so there was not much of a cultural stigma towards the sugar industry. A major contributor to Haiti’s failure to restore its sugar economy was historical property rights institutions that created significant transaction costs to starting large-scale farms. 3 post-Independence property rights institutions: (1) a large redistribution of the former French plantations; (2) inheritance patterns on peasant land that gave every family member a veto right to selling it; and (3) a constitutional ban on foreigners owning land in Haiti. But the property rights institutions in Haiti are important because they were not established by colonists; instead, they were created by a newly independent nation in reaction to colonists. These are post-colonial institutions. From 1900 to 1960, sugar accounted for 76 percent of Cuba’s export value, 51 percent of the Dominican Republic’s, 46 percent of Puerto Rico’s, and 26 percent of Jamaica’s. Sugar contributed only 5 percent to Haiti’s exports. Less than 10% of Haiti's sugar production was exported whereas for the other Caribbean countries about 90% was exported. Since 1987 (demise of HASCO) sugar in Haiti has been a cash crop raised by peasants rather than by large-scale plantations. Sugar Exported (Million lbs) ...............Haiti.......Dom.Rep.......P.Rico.......Jamaica.......Cuba 1900______1_______150________200_________2_______1,000 1910______1_______250________500_________3_______2,000 1920______2_______300________700________10_______5,000 1930______3_______550______1,000________50_______2,000 1940______4_______700______1,500_______200_______4,500 1950______5_______900______1,600_______400_______7,000 In 2014, on coffee: Country__________________Haiti______Dom.Rep.____Cuba______Jamaica Production (tonnes)______19,500_____13,500______9,000_____1,620 Export (tonnes)___________120______1,020________660_____1,320 Export/Production (%)_______0.6________7.6_________7.3_______81.5 Population (M)_____________10.4_______10.3_______11.3_______2.8 Area (1000 km^2)___________27.8_______48.7______110.9______11.0 In part 2 of this series, I show that while the sugar industry had a 96% collapse post 1804, coffee suffered only a 75% collapse. Pre-1804 Saint-Domingue also provided 50% of world supply of coffee. Post 1804, coffee was the only saving grace for the Haitian economy. Why? Because coffee requires less labor and maintenance than sugar. Because it was more difficult to destroy coffee estates (mountains) than it is to destroy sugar estates (plains). Since 1804 Haitian coffee production never reached more than 35% of colonial levels. Still by 1820 the Haiti export per capita was only 60% of the export per capita in the rest of the Caribbean (which were still colonized). In 2014 Haiti exported 0.6% of its coffee production while Jamaica exported 81.5% of its coffee production. The low-export nature of the Haitian economy is based on the 2 principles of the ex-slave farmers: zero risk and zero investment.
Haiti has been a low-export country since 1804. As of 2022 AD, the export per capita in Haiti is just 1/20 of the per capita export in the rest of the Caribbean (excluding Cuba which is a collapsing communist economy). In 1820 AD, the export per capita in Haiti was 60% of the per capita export in the rest of the Caribbean; but then the other lands were colonies at the time. England gave naturally favorable trade conditions with its colonies, not to Spanish colonies, not to Haiti. Spain gave naturally favorable trade conditions with its colonies, not to British colonies, not to Haiti. Post 1776, England took over whatever trade there was between Haiti and the American Colonies. For several decades there was this USA-England fight for trade in the Central and South America. Haiti has been a low-export country since 1804 because Haiti was a low-production country. By 1820 England bought up to 80% of Haiti exports but, again, Haiti was not producing much for export. With such a low-export economy, no one, no business, no foreign nation is/was exploiting Haiti. With such a low-export economy, no one, no business, no foreign nation is/was interested in Haiti. Back in the colonial times one can argue that France exploited the slaves because Saint Domingue was exporting very large amounts of sugar, coffee, cacao, indigo. Saint Domingue was high-export. Haiti has always been low-export. In the early 1900's US occupied both Haiti and the Dominican Republic. These 2 nations went in drastically different ways. One cannot blame the US for Haiti's troubles. For decades foreign aid entrenched Haiti deeper in poverty and social unrest. So-called reparations to Haiti will have same effect as foreign aid.
When evaluating the situation of Haiti in 2024, events 50 years ago matter much more than events 200 years ago. Let us start with, say, year 1950. In 1950, Haiti was 36% richer (per capita) than South Korea, in 1998 South Korea was 16 times richer (per capita) that Haiti. The SKorea-Haiti gap has been growing since. Why the difference? South Korea suffered through WW2 and the Korean War; Haiti was left untouched. The mean, rotten, nasty, rapacious International Corporations landed in South Korea to exploit, despoil, violate mercilessly the nation's land, resources, and people. All that time, said exploiter Corporations ignored Haiti. What is worse than being exploited? Answer: not being exploited at all. Per capita GDP was nearly twice as high in Haiti as in Bangladesh back in 1950--but by 2001, per capita output was higher in Bangladesh than in Haiti (by about 15 percent). The Bangladesh-Haiti gap has been growing since. In 1950 the Haitian economy was more or less at the same level as the economy of the Dominican Republic. CY2009 per capita income, of Haiti = $1,340; of Dominican Republic = $8,672. The DR-Haiti gap has been growing since. The reparation issue is a red herring. The reparations were done by 1947. In 1950, Haiti was in better shape than many countries; Haiti was untouched by WW2. Without the reparations burden Haiti will be less poor, but poor nonetheless. Who wants to intervene in Haiti? The poverty and misery of Haiti is its best defense. When the USA embargoed Cuba in 1960 about 50,000 haitians (seasonal workers) were marooned. In the 1960's and 1970's Cuba sent revolutionary activists (military, civilian) to Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and Africa. But Castro sent no agents to Haiti. Puzzling, given that there is a large haitian community in Cuba from which to recruit agents. A journalist asked the Cuban Ambassador to the United Nations why no agents were sent to Haiti. Answer: "Who wants to inherit Haiti's problems?"
Why Haiti began and remains poor (pt 4 of 11). Response to some Marxist objections. (1) In 1804 there were embargoes against Haiti by France, England, USA. However these embargoes were quite porous since private merchants (English, French, American, Spanish) were still doing commerce with Haiti. In 1807 English abolished Transatlantic slave trade and in 1808 England ended the Haiti embargo; by 1814 more than 80% of Haitian trade was with England. Besides in the 1800's England and Spain were at war with France so little military naval effort was focused on Haiti. Haiti had no military navy, no merchant marine so Haiti had no capability to pursue merchant trade, no capability to project military naval power on its own. Haiti was at the mercy of others for maritime trade. Even before England ended officially the embargo (1808) England was supplying Haiti with cannons and other artillery equipment. England was at war with France and "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" jazz. (2) Many nations, when newly established, were not given a "welcome basket" by the community of Nations. The birth of the USA was greeted with war with England. The birth of Israel was greeted with war with Arab nations. The USA recognized the USSR in 1933 and the USSR was established in 1917. And yet there was USA-USSR trade before 1933. The USA recognized the People's Republic of China in 1979 and the PRC was established in 1949. And yet there was USA-PRC trade before 1979. These trades occur despite ideological differences. These trades occur because the USSR and the PRC had goods/services to offer to the community of Nations. By 1804 Haiti utterly wrecked its economic infrastructure and had little to offer to trade with the community of Nations. (3) The American Occupation of 1915-1934 did not impoverish Haiti. On the contrary, the Americans built up Haiti's degraded infrastructure: 180 bridges were built; the Péligre Dam (source of up to 1/2 of the nation's electric power) was started; Port-au-Prince was the first city in Caribbean/Latin America to have an automatic dialing phone system; General Hospital of Port-au-Prince was built; 10 more hospitals built outside of Port-au-Prince; 1000 miles of roads were built; the first Agricultural College was established in Damiens; Jacmel was the first town in the Caribbean to be electrified; US Navy built some 150 rural clinics; lighthouses were built; harbors were dredged; etc.. But, but, but the corvées!!! Americans used FORCED LABOR to build the roads!!! Nope. The corvée laws were on the books by the Haitian government since 1804. Since many communities cannot pay taxes by money, they pay said taxes by maintaining the roads near their localities. The corvée laws were derived from Ancient Roman Law. The communities were not paying their taxes with the consequence being that the roads were badly degraded. The American were simply applying Haitian Law; the tax delinquent communities needed to pay up with labor. Nobody enjoys paying taxes in any shape or form. It is cruel and inhumane to make tax delinquents to pay taxes (the horror!!!). Yet, from 1915-1934, Haiti was still a low-export economy. There were a few American companies present such as United Fruit but their operations were small compared to their operations in Central America. 3 main reasons: (a) Legal restrictions on foreigners owning land in Haiti (b) most cultivated land was owned by small farmers (c) the small farmers did not work with American companies. In Central America most cultivated land was owned by a few oligarchs and said oligarchs worked with the American companies. Yet, from 1915-1934, Haiti's per capita exports compared to the rest of the Caribbean more than doubled from 8% (1915) to 18% (1934); said ratio is 60% (1820), 5% (2005). (4) Conflict of visions between the populace (ex-slaves) and the Haitian elite (White, Mixed, Black). The ex-slaves wanted nothing more than a piece of land and cultivate it for their basic needs. Essentially the ex-slaves wanted a Subsistence Economy, a Survival Economy. Nation building was not on the mind of the ex-slaves. Nation building was on the minds of the elite who knew fully well that Haiti cannot be totally self-sufficient and thus needed to rebuild the economy to produce goods/services to trade with other Nations. The elite wanted to rebuild the plantation system and the ex-slaves wanted none of that!!! Henri Christophe (Black) was able to impose the plantation system in the North but at the cost of raising anger of the peasant (ex-slave) class. The peasant anger became so great that Henri Christophe committed suicide in 1820. Ironically, Northern Haiti under Christophe (Black) became wealthier (relatively) than Southern Haiti under Pétion (Mulatto) who pushed for Land Redistribution, not Plantation system. (5) Marxists sweep under the rug the occupation of the Dominican Republic by Haiti. Why? Because it does not fit the narrative of Haiti being a victimized innocent. Haiti occupied the Dominican Republic from 1821 to 1844. Haitian president Boyer confiscated all church property, all lands owned by Whites, and deported all foreign clergy. Oh, but that was the second invasion by Haiti; in 1805, the Haitian Army invaded the Dominican Republic, reached Santo Domingo, and made a fast retreat using the destroy and burn tactics much favored by J.J Dessalines. On the way 500 were decapitated in Moca, another 400 decapitated in Santiago (Dessalines loves the "coupé têt"). Why the retreat? There were reports that a French flotilla was coming towards Port-au-Prince. Even after 1844 the Haitians did not give up; for the next 12 years there were several minor military excursions into the Dominican Republic. Militarism, combined with Subsistence Economy, deepens Poverty. But, but, but Haiti did not invade the DR, Haiti occupied the DR by INVITATION!!! Yep. In 1915 the USA occupied Haiti by INVITATION. In 1938 Germany occupied Austria by INVITATION. In 2014 Russia occupied Crimea by INVITATION. Independence Day in the DR celebrates independence from Haiti, not from Spain. (6) Reparations to France: the Marxists' favorite bugaboo. Were the reparations the fundamental cause of Haiti's poverty? Answer: NO. Haiti was already entrenched in Poverty by 1826 when France demanded reparations. Mind you, the 1826 reparation demand was the THIRD request; the previous 2 were made to Christophe (refused), to Pétion (refused). The third time was the charm for France. Haiti's 1821 invasion of the Dominican Republic (DR) was a strategic error. Military adventurism and a moribund economy made for a very bad mix. France was not stupid. After 5 yrs of Haiti being stuck in the DR quagmire, France popped up (again!) and made the reparations demand. Haiti cannot fight both the French and the Dominicans. Haiti decided to pay reparations. France asked only for 1 year's worth of colonial output. In 1820, Haiti's output was only 1/20 of colonial output; that it took Haiti more than 100 years to pay the reparations is no surprise. From 1826-1844 Haiti plundered the DR of its wealth to pay as much as it can for the reparations. (7) Often politically driven programs do not bring Economic or Societal Progress. What feels good usually does no good. Embracing victimhood (politically popular as of 2024 AD) brings no kind of prosperity. Become a victim and win a prize!!! Victims of the World, Unite!!!
Small scale farming is what kept Haiti poor. Overpopulation, ecological degradation made small scale made small scale farming untenable. Rural Haitians are pouring into the urban areas: this is not the handiwork of foreign powers. This is already mass migration into the USA; the USA is getting all the low-pay labor it can absorb. The USA does not need Haitian cheap labor. The Human Development Index (HDI) of Haiti is very low: what economic enterprises is suitable to the Haitian people?
USA and Haiti. The first step of a voyage is the most important because errors made in the first step are rarely corrected and the rare corrections are made very slowly. George Washington accepted a second term reluctantly and rejected a 3rd term. Jean-Jacques Dessalines made himself Emperor. George Washington adhered to the principle of Federalism, with Democracy at the State level, Dessalines went from Presidency straight to Monarchy. Dessalines was followed by Henri Christophe who declared himself King. Haïti did not start going the Democracy route. Monarchists did not return to the USA but Monarchy returned to France at least twice after the French Revolution. Today (2024 AD), Marxists pine for the violence of the French Revolution. The American Revolution preceded the Haitian and French Revolutions by at least 10 years and the latter 2 revolutions learned nothing from the first. Go figure. Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Toussaint L'Ouverture. Current Haitian rap music extols Dessalines, not so much L'Ouverture. L'Ouverture was made Governor of Saint Domingue by the French and he understood what was needed to run a country. Not Dessalines who was strictly a military man for whom gunpowder was like cocaine. Contrast Dessalines with George Washington who was Farmer and Business Man more than being General and Politician. Toussaint L'Ouverture was not popular with the newly freed slaves. The ex-slaves stopped working the land but the General exhorted them to work even harder because now they were working for themselves and not for the former French slave owners. Yes, Toussaint L'Ouverture was captured by the French and died in prison in France. Jean-Jacques Dessalines took over. The main difference between L'Ouverture and Dessalines is that L'Ouverture was not keen in destroying the means of production and Dessalines was keen on such destruction. L'Ouverture may have been into "coupé têt" but not so much into "brulé cay". The politics, society, and culture of Haiti has always been very racially polarized. Freed slaves were uneducated and cannot govern. Black generals were competent in war but not in business, agriculture, finance. Haiti was thus governed by mulattos and remaining French (those not killed in the war of independence). For many decades Haiti ran on the "politique de doublure": Blacks being figureheads for the White/Mulatto Establishment.
Why Haiti began and remains poor (pt 10 of 11). Other factors underlying the poverty of Haiti (1 of 2). >>>>> (A) Socio-Political unrest. The current obsessive subject of international focus by pundits and commentators in the media. Socio-Political unrest is terrible. Socio-Political unrest does not foster beneficial progress of any kind. Constant Socio-Political unrest is characteristic of a low-trust Society. Socio-Political unrest contributes only to MISERY. Haitians do not mind poverty. Haitians just cannot tolerate MISERY. Nobody can tolerate MISERY. Haiti's poverty level should be compared with peer countries such as Barbados and not with the USA or the EU (European Union). The 2022 GDP per capita of Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, Dominican Republic (DR), Barbados, EU is respectively $2K, $6K, $7K, $10K, $20K, $40K. Barbados is poor (compared to the EU) but NOT MISERABLE. The DR is poor (compared to Barbados) but NOT MISERABLE. Haiti is poor (compared to Jamaica) and MISERABLE. The Bahamas has a GDP per capita of $40K, comparable to the EU but most of the GDP comes from financial services which do not benefit the general population. Remove financial servicesand the Bahamas is no better than Barbados. I leave further analysis and interpretation of Haiti's Socio-Political soap-opera unrest to the flock of clucking chickens that is the set of pundits and talking heads in academia, politics, and media. >>>>> (B) Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). NGO's flock to Poverty like vultures to carcasses. NGO's flock to Haiti like flies to excrement. The intentions of NGO's are always good, virtuous, charitable, benevolent, generous, magnificent, altruistic, compassionate, magnanimous, and humanitarian. The consequences of the NGO actions are often against the putative intentions. Just like an overactive immune system causing auto-immune disease such as lupus and multiple sclerosis, overactive NGO's are causing pathologies in Haiti. First, NGO's attract educated Haitians to work for them thus depriving the Haitian government and Haitian private sector of needed talent. With the jobless epidemic in Haiti, job creation should be a priority for NGOs. Instead, they’re often part of the problem. Second, NGO's offer an easy and attractive stepstone to emigration, encouraging an exodus of needed talent out of Haiti. Third, NGO's do not want to solve the problems of Haiti and thus eliminate their raison d'être. Haiti is being "Palestinized" (UNRWA lasting more than 75 years), with the NGO's becoming permanent fixtures in Haiti. As of 2023 AD, there are supposedly 10,000 NGO's. There are more than 2,000 US-registered NGO's in Haiti. Overall, NGO's are better funded than the Haitian government and thus NGO's are in the driver's seat, not the Haitian government. The 3 Stooges trying to enter the room all at the same time and thus the 3 Stooges get stuck at the door. The NGO's as the 3 Stooges: so many of them and so little coordination. So many medicine-related NGO's and yet the healthcare in Haiti is in the toilet. >>>>> (C) Hatred and scapegoating of supposed oligarchs. Consider these countries and presidents in parentheses: Argentina (Menem, Kirchner), Brazil (Kubitschek, Rousseff, Temer), Peru (Fujimori, Kuczynski), Ecuador (Bucaram), Bolivia (Gueiler), Chile (Aylwin, Boric), Costa Rica (Michalski), Mexico (Sheinbaum), El Salvador (Bukele). What do these presidents have in common? Answer: they are non-Hispanic descendants of immigrants. Bukele is Arab. Currently haitian intellectuals are waging a campaign against "oligarchs", they name certain names: Abdala, Acra, Apaid, Boulos, Brant, Braun, Bigio, Baker, Coles, Helmke, Mevs, etc.. Many of the "oligarchs" in Haiti are Arab. Just as talking heads and pundits have distorted perceptions of Haiti's gangs, said talking heads and pundits have distorted perceptions of Haiti's "oligarchs". These oligarchs can take their fortunes and live an easy life in the USA or Europe. However these oligarchs choose Haiti, a hellhole, as their home. No one aims to make their home shitty. These oligarchs came to Haiti as refugees from the Middle East after WW2. These refugees were Christian or Jewish. These refugees came with little fortune and definitely NO political power. These refugees became oligarchs through competency and work ethic. These oligarchs became such because they can get things done within the dystopia that is Haiti. With no political power, recent immigrants (oligarchs-to-be) can only pursue economic power. Economic power can then buy political power. Political power per se cannot produce wealth. Political power per se can only steal wealth. Oligarchs entering the political arena put themselves at personal risk. Haiti needs more oligarchs, not fewer. Haiti needs to welcome immigrants capable to be oligarchs. Why the animus against so-call oligarchs? Answer: Overemphasis on equality and underemphasis on Liberty. Liberty engenders Action. Equality does not engender Action. Equality stifles Action. One may be free (have Liberty) to take Action. One can only be equal to someone or equal to some condition. The Bed of Procrustes is the agent of Equality: You are too tall? Cut off your feet. You are too short? Stretch your spine. Very few fit the bed exactly. Focus on Equality engenders J.E.A.R (Jealousy, Envy, Anger, Resentment), the life blood of Marxism. The so-called oligarchs are people of Action, engendering J.E.A.R. in others. Oligarchs are associated often with monopolies. However, many monopolies cannot exist without the consent of Government. The animus should be against Government, not the so-called oligarchs. Haiti has a low-trust culture. The focus on equality engenders J.E.A.R. and thus reinforces low-trust culture. In the spirit of J.E.A.R. the Government trust only a few players, thus producing State-sanctioned monopolies. Some oligarchs run natural monopolies: if a person is the only one capable to provide a certain good/service then said person has a natural monopoly. Haiti is a small country with a low Human Development Index (HDI) so natural monopolies are easy to establish.
Why Haiti began and remains poor (pt 3 of 11). (E) Subsistence Economy. The old and recent historical data show that exports are a small part of Haiti's economy. Settling for a Subsistence Economy, a Survival Economy is OK. There are tribes living the Stone Age style deep in the Amazon forest and in the jungles of the Congo and Papua New Guinea for thousands of years. Subsistence Economy can be done. However the Planet is populated with Predatory Nations. Fortunately for the Stone Age inhabitants of the Amazon, Central Africa and Papua New Guinea, they have the military protection of the sovereign countries in which they live. The Amish lives in a somewhat Subsistence Economy and there is no Amish Nation: the Amish community is part of the USA and is thus protected by the USA. Trying to maintain proper military power with a Subsistence Economy cannot be sustained for long. Up to 1840, the Haitian military consumed 50% of the government budget, then the consumption went down to 25% by 1860. (F) The low trust character of Haitian society. The Haitian and French revolutions have a few things in common: they are both based on J.E.A.R. = Jealousy, Envy, Anger, Resentment. JEAR is the blood of Socialism and Communism. The concern for "equality" is the launchpad for JEAR. Words "equal(ity)", "democracy" appears _________________________________Equal(ity)____Democracy US Declaration of Independence_____1_____________0 US Constitution____________________0_____________0 French Constitution 1793___________3_____________1 French Constitution 1958__________10_____________4 Haiti Constitution 1805___________3_____________0 Haiti Constitution 1987___________7_____________4 All the freed slaves in Haiti were given a plot of land and then the fun began. The Ancients had it correct: give 3 people equal amount of money at sunrise and they will become unequal before sunset. Dessalines was on his way to deal with some land speculators when he was assassinated. The point is: large-scale farms are much more efficient than small-scale farms and cooperative farms in Haiti were difficult to establish and these rare cooperatives did not last long. Thus time after time, Haiti falls back to a Subsistence Economy. Are there today (2024 AD) large landowners (you know, them evil, nasty, greedy oligarchs!)? Yes. However, in 1950, 80% of the Artibonite Valley (where rice is grown) was still in the hands of the small farmers. The national economic dynamics is still dominated by small-land farmers. The Amish, again. Amish companies are usually no more than 5 employees. Yet said small companies frequently combine together for large tasks. The trust aspect of Amish culture is rare in Haitian society. Mind you, Amish runs a mainly Subsistence Economy, not an Industrial Economy. If Haiti were Amish country, Haiti would be in much better shape. Mind you, the Amish are not warmongers and they would not invade the Dominican Republic. >>>>> Summary: Saint Domingue was a super producer of sugar in the late 1700's because of large-scale farming. Then came Independence of 1804. Land Reform: everyone gets equal share of the Land. Consequence of Land Reform: small-scale farming which brings about at best a Subsistence Economy, a Survival Economy. Haiti thus lost the status of Sugar Super-Producer and started on the Road to Poverty. Constant political turmoil is characteristic of a low-trust society. The low trust nature of Haitian culture makes difficult the establishment of cooperative farming needed for economic growth. Some may say that Haiti is not poor, that Haiti is impoverished. Poor. Impoverished. The Merriam-Webster dictionary used as an example phrase: "a country may become impoverished after a devastating war". Yes, Saint Domingue was rich. Then Saint Domingue became impoverished after a devastating war. The impoverished Saint Domingue became Haïti. Haïti started poor and has remained poor for the next 200+ years. Since 1804 Haiti had a low-export economy, namely a Subsidence Economy, a Survival Economy. Low-Export = Poverty. High-Export = Prosperity. The Low-Export Economy was and is the wish of the peasant (ex-slave) class. Democracy at play: the majority class (the peasant/ex-slave) prevailed over the minority class (the elite bourgeois) on economic matters. The elite (the bourgeoisie) wanted, wished a High-Export economy but such an economy cannot be accomplished without the labor and consent of the worker/peasant (ex-slave) class. In Haiti, a Marxist Economy was achieved long before the foundation of Marxism was put on paper.
The Haitian Revolution was an opportunistic and reactionary Revolution: if there were no French Revolution of 1789, there would have been no Haitian Revolution. There has always been slave revolts throughout the Americas and the Haitian slave revolts were no different from the revolts elsewhere. In 1789 France fell into crisis and was seen weak by the other European Powers. France was distracted by its troubles in Europe and cannot give full focus to its troubles in the Americas. Because of the wars amongst the colonial powers in Europe, Spain was distracted by its troubles in Europe and thus cannot give full focus to its troubles in the Americas. Spain being weakened, the Spanish colonies proceeded their campaigns of Independence from Spain. A silly commentator writes: "imo haiti barely had any chance to do anything, not to mention nation building, since they had to deal with how many coups from the west?" Incorrect. With the French Revolution of 1789, France was at war with various European powers. England and Spain attacked St Domingue not for St Domingue itself but because St Domingue was a French colony. Once Haiti became independent and Haiti had no Navy, Haiti became a NPC (non-playing character) in the war amongst the Colonial Powers. France had its hands full with fighting the European powers to be bothered much with Haiti. Yes, France got reparations from Haiti at no cost of French lives. After 1804, no European Power was interested in Haiti. The American Revolution was a deliberate and purposeful Revolution. In the 1770's England was in no crisis. If anything, the American Revolution may give an impetus to the French Revolution. The Founders predicted the excesses of the upcoming French Revolution. Haiti does not have the equivalent to the USA Federalist Papers.
Independence for independence's sake is a silly concept. Ask yourself: what is the purpose for Independence? What is the ultimate goal: winning the war? winning the peace? Since 1804 Haiti has been losing the Peace. A 5 year-old child is foolish to seek independence from the parents. Yes, France were terrible parents. There is/was no International Child Protection Services for Nations. So Haiti, the 5 year-old child, was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Bad Karma for Haiti. Haiti is still stuck between a rock and a hard place because of its own bad governance. In 1804 Haiti found itself in an awkward position: a slave-less Nation amongst slave-full Nations. The attitude of Spain, USA, England towards Haiti was not one of hostility (none of them attacked Haiti post 1804; Spain and England were busy fighting France and Haiti was no longer part of France) but of caution (after all, France did lose Saint Domingue and who knows what Haiti had up its sleeve). Given that Haiti had no naval power, the attitude of caution become one of indifference. Saint-Domingue's 2 largest exports: sugar and coffee. Cuba was becoming the sugar king. Colombia and Brazil were becoming coffee kings. Meanwhile, Haiti was selling off its mahogany, accelerating deforestation. No Nation, past and present, is 100% self-sufficient and thus needs to trade non-militarily with other Nations. Haiti needed to make itself an asset, not a liability, to the community of Nations. An independent Nation is an actual Nation even if other Nations do not recognize it as such. Look at Taiwan: despite not being recognized officially by many nations ALL nations want to trade with Taiwan. Taiwan is an asset to the community of Nations. One cannot say the same about Haiti. But, but, but Taiwan did not have to suffer the torture of French-style colonial slavery!!! Swing and a miss. The point of Taiwan, which suffered through Japanese colonialism, is that even when it is the object of the People's Republic of China's campaign to delegitimize Taiwan in the eyes of the International World, Taiwan is still thriving. But let us play the Victim Olympics Game. South Korea went through WW2 and the Korean War and by 1953 South Korea was in much worse physical state than Haiti has been in 1804. Yet today (2024 AD) South Korea is in much better shape than Haiti. Key difference: in 1954 the Korean people were more educated and civilized than the Haitian ex-slaves of 1804 who were utterly uneducated and very barely domesticated. Haiti had 200 years to civilize its population and no foreign power prevented the domestication of the Haitian people. Sorry Marxist revisionists: Simon Bolivar would still have accomplished his goals against Spain without Haiti's assistance; Haiti's token help was appreciated but it was not essential. Slavery in South America would still be abolished without the advice from Pétion. The USA would still have won over Great Britain without the 200-odd freed Haitian slaves who died in the battle of Savannah. The Marxist advocates for Haiti have lost perspective: the relevant issue is the Present and the Future, not the Past. The Marxist revisionists are stuck and lost in the weeds of the Past, grasping at straws, acting like some aged movie star looking at reruns of the very distant (and very irrelevant) glorious past.
Reparations do not stifle economic development. Look at Germany who had to pay reparations for WW1 and WW2. And yet Germany became a powerhouse after WW1 and after WW2. What is missing in your worldview? Answer: human resources, the human development index. The German people had the proper mindset for effective nation building. The Haitian people never had the proper mindset for effective nation building. France is not obligated to return anything to Haiti. Haiti made an agreement with France, adult-to-adult. Haiti is not an infant. What is the point of being an Independent Nation if you let yourself to be slapped around by foreigners? There are maintenance costs to Independence. Independence is not free. Independence for independence's sake is a silly concept. Ask yourself: what is the purpose for Independence? What is the ultimate goal: winning the war? winning the peace? Since 1804 Haiti has been losing the Peace. A 5 year-old child is foolish to seek independence from the parents. Yes, France was a terrible parent. There is/was no International Child Protection Services for Nations. So Haiti, the 5 year-old child, was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Bad Karma for Haiti. Haiti is still stuck between a rock and a hard place because of its own bad governance.
I am amused by talking heads discussing without end about transition committees, United Nations programs, and other such "democratic" trivialities. The Ancient Greeks had it correct: the machinery of democracy is always too slow to fix a crisis. To fix a crisis the Ancient Greek Elders appoint a tyrant whose orders are followed without question. Key: without question; because questioning (via democratic process) takes too long while the crisis worsens. What are the characteristics of the ideal tyrant? Answer: Reputation for honesty, integrity, virtue, experience, wisdom, and VIOLENCE; and nationwide respect. The tyrant is chosen from the citizenry; the tyrant cannot be a foreigner. Also: the tyrant is wise enough to retreat from power when the crisis is solved away. Usually the tyrant has to exert violence upon those damaging the citizenry. Violence brings about primordial fear and respect is the underlayer of fear. One cannot fear without respect. Fear may foment Resentment and still respect lingers with Resentment. Respect of the capability of the tyrant to eliminate you. While the pundits, empty talking heads, politicians, intellectuals emitting hot air pollution about Transition Committees and Assorted Plans, Haiti needs to find its Tyrant (in the Ancient Greek meaning), its Cincinnatus. If Haiti can find a Toussaint L'Ouverture (NOT J.J. Dessalines) as tyrant, so much the better. Haiti needs to find its Bukele. Bukele. Of El Salvador. Bukele is Arab with Lebanese roots. Although elected democratically, Bukele had to act like a tyrant (in the Ancient Greek meaning) to bring order to El Salvador. Why bring up the Arab origin of Bukele? Many of the "oligarchs" in Haiti are of Arab descent. Just as talking heads and pundits have distorted perceptions of Haiti's gangs, said talking heads and pundits have distorted perceptions of Haiti's "oligarchs". These oligarchs can take their fortunes (millions of dollars, NOT billions) and live an easy life in the USA or Europe. However these oligarchs choose Haiti, a hellhole, as their home. No one aims to make their home shitty. These oligarchs came to Haiti as refugees from the Middle East after WW2. These refugees were Christian or Jewish, not Muslim. These refugees came with little fortune and definitely NO political power. These refugees became "oligarchs" through competency, work ethic, and business honesty. These oligarchs became such because they can get things done. At one point there were 6 foreign banks in Haiti. The last foreign bank, CitiGroup, left Haiti as of July 2024. The foreign Banks sold their interests to - I presume - haitian oligarchs. There are now 8 Haitian commercial banks. Why invest in an enterprise if you have no hope for said enterprise? What hope(s) do these oligarchs see in Haiti? The talking heads and pundits seem clueless about the hopes for Haiti.
Why Haiti began and remains poor (pt 5 of 11). Frederick Douglass' speech on Haiti in Chicago (January 2, 1893) A silly commentator writes: "To debunk your own self, Google Frederick Douglass Chicago speech on Haiti." The speech is very long and I will touch only the most salient points. Frederick Douglass was presenting the Haitian exhibit at the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 held in Chicago that celebrated the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' voyage to the Americas. To sell the Haitian exhibit to the audience Douglass had to mythologize Haiti (overplay the good, underplay the bad). However, if all Douglass did was to mythologize Haiti, he will be seen as dishonest and fake. So Douglass had to tell some facts about Haiti to retain credibility. Now the speech (My comments will be in brackets [...]): ... it is a remarkable and lamentable fact, that while Haiti is so near us and so capable of being so serviceable to us ... selling her coffee and her other valuable products to Europe for gold, and sending us her gold to buy our flour, our fish, our oil, our beef and our pork; while she is thus enriching our merchants and our farmers and our country generally, she is the one country to which we turn the cold shoulder. ... >>>>> [By selling her coffee and other products to Europe, isn't Haiti enriching herself? Why the complaint that the US is enriching itself by selling flour, oil, beef, pork to Haiti? How one is giving a cold shoulder to a country with which one is doing commerce? An illogical argumentation by Douglass.] But a deeper reason for coolness between the countries is this: Haiti is black, and we have not yet forgiven Haiti for being black or forgiven the Almighty for making her black. >>>>> [Subjective opinion of Douglass. This is 1893 and the USA has already recognized Haiti as a sovereign country. Political Resentment by Blacks started early.] In every other country on the globe a citizen of Haiti is sure of civil treatment. In every other nation his manhood is recognized and respected. >>>>> [Nope. Definitely not in France which was collecting reparations from Haiti. More racial resentment from Douglass. While the USA had 100% of its slaves in the USA, Europe had 99% of its slaves OUTSIDE Europe. In the 1890's the occasional Black in Europe is seen NOT with respect but with curiosity.] Besides, after Haiti had shaken off the fetters of bondage, and long after her freedom and independence had been recognized by all other civilized nations, we continued to refuse to acknowledge the fact and treated her as outside the sisterhood of nations. >>>>> [Nope. This is 1893 and the USA has already recognized Haiti as a sovereign country. Political Resentment by Blacks started early.] The attempt to create angry feeling in the United States against Haiti because she thought proper to refuse us the Mole St. Nicolas, is neither reasonable nor creditable. >>>>> [Nope. There was no popular animosity against Haiti because a military base cannot be set in Mole St. Nicolas. Such request was made several times and Haiti refused. So what. Later the US got Guantanamo in Cuba.] She produces coffee, cotton, log-wood, mahogany and lignum-vitae. >>>>> [Notice that sugar was not on the list of Haitian products.] With such an income, if Haiti could be kept free from revolutions, she might easily become, in proportion to her territory and population, the richest country in the world. >>>>> [Western Left applauds: "HAITI THE RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!". The mythologizing of Haiti. Douglass was realistic with the caveat: "free from revolutions".] And yet she is comparatively poor, not because she is revolutionary. >>>>> [So revolution did not make Haiti poor?] I have said that the men did not strike me as equal to the women, and I think that this is largely due to the fact that most of the men are compelled to spend much of their lives as soldiers in the service of their country, and this is a life often fatal to the growth of all manly qualities. Every third man you meet within the streets of Port au Prince is a soldier. >>>>> [This is the legacy of Dessalines: Militarism and Gunpowder. Gangs in Port-au-Prince, 2024 AD: sounds familiar?] Yet, there she is, torn and rent by revolutions, by clamorous factions and anarchies; floundering her life away from year in a labyrinth of social misery. Every little while we find her convulsed by civil war, engaged in the terrible work of death; frantically shedding her own blood and driving her best mental material into hopeless exile. The explanation is this: Haiti is a country of revolutions. They break forth without warning and without excuse. Under such a condition of things a tranquil mind is impossible. There is ever a chronic, feverish looking forward to possible disasters. Incendiary fires; fires set on foot as a proof of dissatisfaction with the government; fires for personal revenge, and fires to promote revolution are of startling frequency. Manifestly, this revolutionary spirit of Haiti is her curse, her crime, her greatest calamity and the explanation of the limited condition of her civilization. Certain it is that while this evil spirit shall prevail, Haiti cannot rise very high in the scale of civilization. While this shall prevail, she will resemble the man cutting himself among the tombs. While this shall prevail, her rich and fruitful soil will bring forth briers, thorns and noxious weeds. While this evil spirit shall prevail, her great natural wealth will be wasted and her splendid possibilities will be blasted. >>>>> [Signs of a low trust society. This is 1893: there was no foreign campaign against Haiti. The Haiti revolutions were against and amongst Haitian factions.] The common people of Haiti are peaceful enough. They have no taste for revolutions. >>>>> [Incorrect. If the common people were peaceful, when given guns they would have dropped said guns. Sorrowfully, the common people love the adrenaline rush brought by violence, blood, and gore. Douglass was such an innocent.]
The pelt/flu story was literally jaw dropping does anyone have a link to documentation of that?
Why Haiti began and remains poor (pt 7 of 11).
Haiti and rice. >>>>> The Clintons destroyed the Haitian rice farmers!!!
USA and Haiti. For the USA, first was Declaration of Independence, second was War. For Haiti, first was War, second was Declaration of Independence. BIG DIFFERENCE. Years before 1776, the founders of the USA debated, argued, counter-argued about the requirements, attributes, qualities needed for nationhood, thus slowly forming a proper mindset and proper temperament of the american people for eventual nationhood. In the case of Haiti, there was first Rebellion, visceral Anger, most Righteous Anger, blood-churning lust for Revenge against the French colonists. War was engaged and won by the Haitian slaves. A war engaged without aforethought, without afterthought akin to a fight initiated by a hot-headed person driven by righteous anger. The war won, what now? Declaration of Independence of 1804 was the only valid alternative because re-inviting French rule defeats the purpose of the war. The key point is: in 1804 the Haitian people was not prepared for effective nation building.
That the French came back in 1826, required and actually got reparations from Haïti implies that Haïti's independence was a façade, a joke. With Independence comes responsibility and the (supposed) ability to defend oneself. After 1804 Haïti built 20-odd fortresses about 5 miles inland: they would concede coastal areas because France had a Navy and Haiti did not. But Haiti got overextended with their invasion of the Dominican Republic (1821-1844). Ooops!!!
But, but, but Haiti did not invade the DR, Haiti occupied the DR by INVITATION!!! Yep. In 1915 the USA occupied Haiti by INVITATION!!! In 1938 Germany occupied Austria by INVITATION!!! In 2014 Russia occupied Crimea by INVITATION!!! Independence Day in the DR celebrates independence from Haiti, not from Spain.
Why Haiti began and remains poor (pt 1 of 11).
During its colonial days, Haiti’s slave plantations supplied over half of the world’s sugar.
But after the slaves gained their freedom from the brutal regime and the country declared independence in 1804, sugar disappeared from the economy as small farms produced coffee, subsistence agriculture, and food for local markets.
In 1950, when Haiti was at least producing some sugar, its exports were far behind comparable countries: sugar exports in Puerto Rico were 35 times higher, and in the Dominican Republic exports were 14 times higher.
A common explanation for Haiti’s resistance to producing sugar is that Haitian culture rejected the industry because of the associated historical traumas. However Haitians went to the DR, Cuba, even Puerto Rico to harvest sugar cane so there was not much of a cultural stigma towards the sugar industry.
A major contributor to Haiti’s failure to restore its sugar economy was historical property rights institutions that created significant transaction costs to starting large-scale farms.
3 post-Independence property rights institutions: (1) a large redistribution of the former French plantations; (2) inheritance patterns on peasant land that gave every family member a veto right to selling it; and (3) a constitutional ban on foreigners owning land in Haiti.
But the property rights institutions in Haiti are important because they were not established by colonists; instead, they were created by a newly independent nation in reaction to colonists. These are post-colonial institutions.
From 1900 to 1960, sugar accounted for 76 percent of Cuba’s export value, 51 percent of the Dominican Republic’s, 46 percent of Puerto Rico’s, and 26 percent of Jamaica’s. Sugar contributed only 5 percent to Haiti’s exports. Less than 10% of Haiti's sugar production was exported whereas for the other Caribbean countries about 90% was exported. Since 1987 (demise of HASCO) sugar in Haiti has been a cash crop raised by peasants rather than by large-scale plantations.
Sugar Exported (Million lbs)
...............Haiti.......Dom.Rep.......P.Rico.......Jamaica.......Cuba
1900______1_______150________200_________2_______1,000
1910______1_______250________500_________3_______2,000
1920______2_______300________700________10_______5,000
1930______3_______550______1,000________50_______2,000
1940______4_______700______1,500_______200_______4,500
1950______5_______900______1,600_______400_______7,000
In 2014, on coffee:
Country__________________Haiti______Dom.Rep.____Cuba______Jamaica
Production (tonnes)______19,500_____13,500______9,000_____1,620
Export (tonnes)___________120______1,020________660_____1,320
Export/Production (%)_______0.6________7.6_________7.3_______81.5
Population (M)_____________10.4_______10.3_______11.3_______2.8
Area (1000 km^2)___________27.8_______48.7______110.9______11.0
In part 2 of this series, I show that while the sugar industry had a 96% collapse post 1804, coffee suffered only a 75% collapse. Pre-1804 Saint-Domingue also provided 50% of world supply of coffee. Post 1804, coffee was the only saving grace for the Haitian economy. Why? Because coffee requires less labor and maintenance than sugar. Because it was more difficult to destroy coffee estates (mountains) than it is to destroy sugar estates (plains). Since 1804 Haitian coffee production never reached more than 35% of colonial levels. Still by 1820 the Haiti export per capita was only 60% of the export per capita in the rest of the Caribbean (which were still colonized). In 2014 Haiti exported 0.6% of its coffee production while Jamaica exported 81.5% of its coffee production.
The low-export nature of the Haitian economy is based on the 2 principles of the ex-slave farmers: zero risk and zero investment.
Haiti has been a low-export country since 1804. As of 2022 AD, the export per capita in Haiti is just 1/20 of the per capita export in the rest of the Caribbean (excluding Cuba which is a collapsing communist economy). In 1820 AD, the export per capita in Haiti was 60% of the per capita export in the rest of the Caribbean; but then the other lands were colonies at the time. England gave naturally favorable trade conditions with its colonies, not to Spanish colonies, not to Haiti. Spain gave naturally favorable trade conditions with its colonies, not to British colonies, not to Haiti. Post 1776, England took over whatever trade there was between Haiti and the American Colonies. For several decades there was this USA-England fight for trade in the Central and South America. Haiti has been a low-export country since 1804 because Haiti was a low-production country. By 1820 England bought up to 80% of Haiti exports but, again, Haiti was not producing much for export.
With such a low-export economy, no one, no business, no foreign nation is/was exploiting Haiti. With such a low-export economy, no one, no business, no foreign nation is/was interested in Haiti. Back in the colonial times one can argue that France exploited the slaves because Saint Domingue was exporting very large amounts of sugar, coffee, cacao, indigo. Saint Domingue was high-export. Haiti has always been low-export.
In the early 1900's US occupied both Haiti and the Dominican Republic. These 2 nations went in drastically different ways. One cannot blame the US for Haiti's troubles.
For decades foreign aid entrenched Haiti deeper in poverty and social unrest. So-called reparations to Haiti will have same effect as foreign aid.
When evaluating the situation of Haiti in 2024, events 50 years ago matter much more than events 200 years ago. Let us start with, say, year 1950.
In 1950, Haiti was 36% richer (per capita) than South Korea, in 1998 South Korea was 16 times richer (per capita) that Haiti. The SKorea-Haiti gap has been growing since. Why the difference? South Korea suffered through WW2 and the Korean War; Haiti was left untouched. The mean, rotten, nasty, rapacious International Corporations landed in South Korea to exploit, despoil, violate mercilessly the nation's land, resources, and people. All that time, said exploiter Corporations ignored Haiti. What is worse than being exploited? Answer: not being exploited at all.
Per capita GDP was nearly twice as high in Haiti as in Bangladesh back in 1950--but by 2001, per capita output was higher in Bangladesh than in Haiti (by about 15 percent). The Bangladesh-Haiti gap has been growing since.
In 1950 the Haitian economy was more or less at the same level as the economy of the Dominican Republic. CY2009 per capita income, of Haiti = $1,340; of Dominican Republic = $8,672. The DR-Haiti gap has been growing since.
The reparation issue is a red herring. The reparations were done by 1947. In 1950, Haiti was in better shape than many countries; Haiti was untouched by WW2. Without the reparations burden Haiti will be less poor, but poor nonetheless.
Who wants to intervene in Haiti? The poverty and misery of Haiti is its best defense.
When the USA embargoed Cuba in 1960 about 50,000 haitians (seasonal workers) were marooned. In the 1960's and 1970's Cuba sent revolutionary activists (military, civilian) to Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and Africa. But Castro sent no agents to Haiti. Puzzling, given that there is a large haitian community in Cuba from which to recruit agents. A journalist asked the Cuban Ambassador to the United Nations why no agents were sent to Haiti. Answer: "Who wants to inherit Haiti's problems?"
Why Haiti began and remains poor (pt 4 of 11).
Response to some Marxist objections.
(1) In 1804 there were embargoes against Haiti by France, England, USA. However these embargoes were quite porous since private merchants (English, French, American, Spanish) were still doing commerce with Haiti. In 1807 English abolished Transatlantic slave trade and in 1808 England ended the Haiti embargo; by 1814 more than 80% of Haitian trade was with England. Besides in the 1800's England and Spain were at war with France so little military naval effort was focused on Haiti. Haiti had no military navy, no merchant marine so Haiti had no capability to pursue merchant trade, no capability to project military naval power on its own. Haiti was at the mercy of others for maritime trade.
Even before England ended officially the embargo (1808) England was supplying Haiti with cannons and other artillery equipment. England was at war with France and "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" jazz.
(2) Many nations, when newly established, were not given a "welcome basket" by the community of Nations. The birth of the USA was greeted with war with England. The birth of Israel was greeted with war with Arab nations. The USA recognized the USSR in 1933 and the USSR was established in 1917. And yet there was USA-USSR trade before 1933. The USA recognized the People's Republic of China in 1979 and the PRC was established in 1949. And yet there was USA-PRC trade before 1979. These trades occur despite ideological differences. These trades occur because the USSR and the PRC had goods/services to offer to the community of Nations. By 1804 Haiti utterly wrecked its economic infrastructure and had little to offer to trade with the community of Nations.
(3) The American Occupation of 1915-1934 did not impoverish Haiti. On the contrary, the Americans built up Haiti's degraded infrastructure: 180 bridges were built; the Péligre Dam (source of up to 1/2 of the nation's electric power) was started; Port-au-Prince was the first city in Caribbean/Latin America to have an automatic dialing phone system; General Hospital of Port-au-Prince was built; 10 more hospitals built outside of Port-au-Prince; 1000 miles of roads were built; the first Agricultural College was established in Damiens; Jacmel was the first town in the Caribbean to be electrified; US Navy built some 150 rural clinics; lighthouses were built; harbors were dredged; etc..
But, but, but the corvées!!! Americans used FORCED LABOR to build the roads!!! Nope. The corvée laws were on the books by the Haitian government since 1804. Since many communities cannot pay taxes by money, they pay said taxes by maintaining the roads near their localities. The corvée laws were derived from Ancient Roman Law. The communities were not paying their taxes with the consequence being that the roads were badly degraded. The American were simply applying Haitian Law; the tax delinquent communities needed to pay up with labor. Nobody enjoys paying taxes in any shape or form. It is cruel and inhumane to make tax delinquents to pay taxes (the horror!!!).
Yet, from 1915-1934, Haiti was still a low-export economy. There were a few American companies present such as United Fruit but their operations were small compared to their operations in Central America. 3 main reasons: (a) Legal restrictions on foreigners owning land in Haiti (b) most cultivated land was owned by small farmers (c) the small farmers did not work with American companies. In Central America most cultivated land was owned by a few oligarchs and said oligarchs worked with the American companies.
Yet, from 1915-1934, Haiti's per capita exports compared to the rest of the Caribbean more than doubled from 8% (1915) to 18% (1934); said ratio is 60% (1820), 5% (2005).
(4) Conflict of visions between the populace (ex-slaves) and the Haitian elite (White, Mixed, Black). The ex-slaves wanted nothing more than a piece of land and cultivate it for their basic needs. Essentially the ex-slaves wanted a Subsistence Economy, a Survival Economy. Nation building was not on the mind of the ex-slaves. Nation building was on the minds of the elite who knew fully well that Haiti cannot be totally self-sufficient and thus needed to rebuild the economy to produce goods/services to trade with other Nations. The elite wanted to rebuild the plantation system and the ex-slaves wanted none of that!!! Henri Christophe (Black) was able to impose the plantation system in the North but at the cost of raising anger of the peasant (ex-slave) class. The peasant anger became so great that Henri Christophe committed suicide in 1820. Ironically, Northern Haiti under Christophe (Black) became wealthier (relatively) than Southern Haiti under Pétion (Mulatto) who pushed for Land Redistribution, not Plantation system.
(5) Marxists sweep under the rug the occupation of the Dominican Republic by Haiti. Why? Because it does not fit the narrative of Haiti being a victimized innocent. Haiti occupied the Dominican Republic from 1821 to 1844. Haitian president Boyer confiscated all church property, all lands owned by Whites, and deported all foreign clergy. Oh, but that was the second invasion by Haiti; in 1805, the Haitian Army invaded the Dominican Republic, reached Santo Domingo, and made a fast retreat using the destroy and burn tactics much favored by J.J Dessalines. On the way 500 were decapitated in Moca, another 400 decapitated in Santiago (Dessalines loves the "coupé têt"). Why the retreat? There were reports that a French flotilla was coming towards Port-au-Prince. Even after 1844 the Haitians did not give up; for the next 12 years there were several minor military excursions into the Dominican Republic. Militarism, combined with Subsistence Economy, deepens Poverty.
But, but, but Haiti did not invade the DR, Haiti occupied the DR by INVITATION!!! Yep. In 1915 the USA occupied Haiti by INVITATION. In 1938 Germany occupied Austria by INVITATION. In 2014 Russia occupied Crimea by INVITATION. Independence Day in the DR celebrates independence from Haiti, not from Spain.
(6) Reparations to France: the Marxists' favorite bugaboo. Were the reparations the fundamental cause of Haiti's poverty? Answer: NO. Haiti was already entrenched in Poverty by 1826 when France demanded reparations. Mind you, the 1826 reparation demand was the THIRD request; the previous 2 were made to Christophe (refused), to Pétion (refused). The third time was the charm for France. Haiti's 1821 invasion of the Dominican Republic (DR) was a strategic error. Military adventurism and a moribund economy made for a very bad mix. France was not stupid. After 5 yrs of Haiti being stuck in the DR quagmire, France popped up (again!) and made the reparations demand. Haiti cannot fight both the French and the Dominicans. Haiti decided to pay reparations. France asked only for 1 year's worth of colonial output. In 1820, Haiti's output was only 1/20 of colonial output; that it took Haiti more than 100 years to pay the reparations is no surprise. From 1826-1844 Haiti plundered the DR of its wealth to pay as much as it can for the reparations.
(7) Often politically driven programs do not bring Economic or Societal Progress. What feels good usually does no good. Embracing victimhood (politically popular as of 2024 AD) brings no kind of prosperity. Become a victim and win a prize!!! Victims of the World, Unite!!!
Small scale farming is what kept Haiti poor. Overpopulation, ecological degradation made small scale made small scale farming untenable.
Rural Haitians are pouring into the urban areas: this is not the handiwork of foreign powers.
This is already mass migration into the USA; the USA is getting all the low-pay labor it can absorb. The USA does not need Haitian cheap labor.
The Human Development Index (HDI) of Haiti is very low: what economic enterprises is suitable to the Haitian people?
USA and Haiti. The first step of a voyage is the most important because errors made in the first step are rarely corrected and the rare corrections are made very slowly. George Washington accepted a second term reluctantly and rejected a 3rd term. Jean-Jacques Dessalines made himself Emperor. George Washington adhered to the principle of Federalism, with Democracy at the State level, Dessalines went from Presidency straight to Monarchy. Dessalines was followed by Henri Christophe who declared himself King. Haïti did not start going the Democracy route. Monarchists did not return to the USA but Monarchy returned to France at least twice after the French Revolution. Today (2024 AD), Marxists pine for the violence of the French Revolution.
The American Revolution preceded the Haitian and French Revolutions by at least 10 years and the latter 2 revolutions learned nothing from the first. Go figure.
Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Toussaint L'Ouverture. Current Haitian rap music extols Dessalines, not so much L'Ouverture. L'Ouverture was made Governor of Saint Domingue by the French and he understood what was needed to run a country. Not Dessalines who was strictly a military man for whom gunpowder was like cocaine. Contrast Dessalines with George Washington who was Farmer and Business Man more than being General and Politician. Toussaint L'Ouverture was not popular with the newly freed slaves. The ex-slaves stopped working the land but the General exhorted them to work even harder because now they were working for themselves and not for the former French slave owners. Yes, Toussaint L'Ouverture was captured by the French and died in prison in France. Jean-Jacques Dessalines took over. The main difference between L'Ouverture and Dessalines is that L'Ouverture was not keen in destroying the means of production and Dessalines was keen on such destruction. L'Ouverture may have been into "coupé têt" but not so much into "brulé cay".
The politics, society, and culture of Haiti has always been very racially polarized. Freed slaves were uneducated and cannot govern. Black generals were competent in war but not in business, agriculture, finance. Haiti was thus governed by mulattos and remaining French (those not killed in the war of independence). For many decades Haiti ran on the "politique de doublure": Blacks being figureheads for the White/Mulatto Establishment.
Why Haiti began and remains poor (pt 10 of 11).
Other factors underlying the poverty of Haiti (1 of 2).
>>>>> (A) Socio-Political unrest.
The current obsessive subject of international focus by pundits and commentators in the media. Socio-Political unrest is terrible. Socio-Political unrest does not foster beneficial progress of any kind. Constant Socio-Political unrest is characteristic of a low-trust Society. Socio-Political unrest contributes only to MISERY. Haitians do not mind poverty. Haitians just cannot tolerate MISERY. Nobody can tolerate MISERY. Haiti's poverty level should be compared with peer countries such as Barbados and not with the USA or the EU (European Union). The 2022 GDP per capita of Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, Dominican Republic (DR), Barbados, EU is respectively $2K, $6K, $7K, $10K, $20K, $40K. Barbados is poor (compared to the EU) but NOT MISERABLE. The DR is poor (compared to Barbados) but NOT MISERABLE. Haiti is poor (compared to Jamaica) and MISERABLE.
The Bahamas has a GDP per capita of $40K, comparable to the EU but most of the GDP comes from financial services which do not benefit the general population. Remove financial servicesand the Bahamas is no better than Barbados.
I leave further analysis and interpretation of Haiti's Socio-Political soap-opera unrest to the flock of clucking chickens that is the set of pundits and talking heads in academia, politics, and media.
>>>>> (B) Non-Governmental Organization (NGO).
NGO's flock to Poverty like vultures to carcasses. NGO's flock to Haiti like flies to excrement. The intentions of NGO's are always good, virtuous, charitable, benevolent, generous, magnificent, altruistic, compassionate, magnanimous, and humanitarian. The consequences of the NGO actions are often against the putative intentions. Just like an overactive immune system causing auto-immune disease such as lupus and multiple sclerosis, overactive NGO's are causing pathologies in Haiti. First, NGO's attract educated Haitians to work for them thus depriving the Haitian government and Haitian private sector of needed talent. With the jobless epidemic in Haiti, job creation should be a priority for NGOs. Instead, they’re often part of the problem. Second, NGO's offer an easy and attractive stepstone to emigration, encouraging an exodus of needed talent out of Haiti. Third, NGO's do not want to solve the problems of Haiti and thus eliminate their raison d'être. Haiti is being "Palestinized" (UNRWA lasting more than 75 years), with the NGO's becoming permanent fixtures in Haiti.
As of 2023 AD, there are supposedly 10,000 NGO's. There are more than 2,000 US-registered NGO's in Haiti. Overall, NGO's are better funded than the Haitian government and thus NGO's are in the driver's seat, not the Haitian government. The 3 Stooges trying to enter the room all at the same time and thus the 3 Stooges get stuck at the door. The NGO's as the 3 Stooges: so many of them and so little coordination. So many medicine-related NGO's and yet the healthcare in Haiti is in the toilet.
>>>>> (C) Hatred and scapegoating of supposed oligarchs.
Consider these countries and presidents in parentheses: Argentina (Menem, Kirchner), Brazil (Kubitschek, Rousseff, Temer), Peru (Fujimori, Kuczynski), Ecuador (Bucaram), Bolivia (Gueiler), Chile (Aylwin, Boric), Costa Rica (Michalski), Mexico (Sheinbaum), El Salvador (Bukele). What do these presidents have in common? Answer: they are non-Hispanic descendants of immigrants. Bukele is Arab. Currently haitian intellectuals are waging a campaign against "oligarchs", they name certain names: Abdala, Acra, Apaid, Boulos, Brant, Braun, Bigio, Baker, Coles, Helmke, Mevs, etc..
Many of the "oligarchs" in Haiti are Arab. Just as talking heads and pundits have distorted perceptions of Haiti's gangs, said talking heads and pundits have distorted perceptions of Haiti's "oligarchs". These oligarchs can take their fortunes and live an easy life in the USA or Europe. However these oligarchs choose Haiti, a hellhole, as their home. No one aims to make their home shitty. These oligarchs came to Haiti as refugees from the Middle East after WW2. These refugees were Christian or Jewish. These refugees came with little fortune and definitely NO political power. These refugees became oligarchs through competency and work ethic. These oligarchs became such because they can get things done within the dystopia that is Haiti.
With no political power, recent immigrants (oligarchs-to-be) can only pursue economic power. Economic power can then buy political power. Political power per se cannot produce wealth. Political power per se can only steal wealth. Oligarchs entering the political arena put themselves at personal risk.
Haiti needs more oligarchs, not fewer. Haiti needs to welcome immigrants capable to be oligarchs.
Why the animus against so-call oligarchs? Answer: Overemphasis on equality and underemphasis on Liberty. Liberty engenders Action. Equality does not engender Action. Equality stifles Action. One may be free (have Liberty) to take Action. One can only be equal to someone or equal to some condition. The Bed of Procrustes is the agent of Equality: You are too tall? Cut off your feet. You are too short? Stretch your spine. Very few fit the bed exactly. Focus on Equality engenders J.E.A.R (Jealousy, Envy, Anger, Resentment), the life blood of Marxism. The so-called oligarchs are people of Action, engendering J.E.A.R. in others.
Oligarchs are associated often with monopolies. However, many monopolies cannot exist without the consent of Government. The animus should be against Government, not the so-called oligarchs. Haiti has a low-trust culture. The focus on equality engenders J.E.A.R. and thus reinforces low-trust culture. In the spirit of J.E.A.R. the Government trust only a few players, thus producing State-sanctioned monopolies. Some oligarchs run natural monopolies: if a person is the only one capable to provide a certain good/service then said person has a natural monopoly. Haiti is a small country with a low Human Development Index (HDI) so natural monopolies are easy to establish.
Why Haiti began and remains poor (pt 3 of 11).
(E) Subsistence Economy. The old and recent historical data show that exports are a small part of Haiti's economy. Settling for a Subsistence Economy, a Survival Economy is OK. There are tribes living the Stone Age style deep in the Amazon forest and in the jungles of the Congo and Papua New Guinea for thousands of years. Subsistence Economy can be done. However the Planet is populated with Predatory Nations. Fortunately for the Stone Age inhabitants of the Amazon, Central Africa and Papua New Guinea, they have the military protection of the sovereign countries in which they live. The Amish lives in a somewhat Subsistence Economy and there is no Amish Nation: the Amish community is part of the USA and is thus protected by the USA. Trying to maintain proper military power with a Subsistence Economy cannot be sustained for long. Up to 1840, the Haitian military consumed 50% of the government budget, then the consumption went down to 25% by 1860.
(F) The low trust character of Haitian society. The Haitian and French revolutions have a few things in common: they are both based on J.E.A.R. = Jealousy, Envy, Anger, Resentment. JEAR is the blood of Socialism and Communism. The concern for "equality" is the launchpad for JEAR. Words "equal(ity)", "democracy" appears
_________________________________Equal(ity)____Democracy
US Declaration of Independence_____1_____________0
US Constitution____________________0_____________0
French Constitution 1793___________3_____________1
French Constitution 1958__________10_____________4
Haiti Constitution 1805___________3_____________0
Haiti Constitution 1987___________7_____________4
All the freed slaves in Haiti were given a plot of land and then the fun began. The Ancients had it correct: give 3 people equal amount of money at sunrise and they will become unequal before sunset. Dessalines was on his way to deal with some land speculators when he was assassinated. The point is: large-scale farms are much more efficient than small-scale farms and cooperative farms in Haiti were difficult to establish and these rare cooperatives did not last long. Thus time after time, Haiti falls back to a Subsistence Economy.
Are there today (2024 AD) large landowners (you know, them evil, nasty, greedy oligarchs!)? Yes. However, in 1950, 80% of the Artibonite Valley (where rice is grown) was still in the hands of the small farmers. The national economic dynamics is still dominated by small-land farmers.
The Amish, again. Amish companies are usually no more than 5 employees. Yet said small companies frequently combine together for large tasks. The trust aspect of Amish culture is rare in Haitian society. Mind you, Amish runs a mainly Subsistence Economy, not an Industrial Economy. If Haiti were Amish country, Haiti would be in much better shape. Mind you, the Amish are not warmongers and they would not invade the Dominican Republic.
>>>>> Summary:
Saint Domingue was a super producer of sugar in the late 1700's because of large-scale farming. Then came Independence of 1804. Land Reform: everyone gets equal share of the Land. Consequence of Land Reform: small-scale farming which brings about at best a Subsistence Economy, a Survival Economy. Haiti thus lost the status of Sugar Super-Producer and started on the Road to Poverty. Constant political turmoil is characteristic of a low-trust society. The low trust nature of Haitian culture makes difficult the establishment of cooperative farming needed for economic growth.
Some may say that Haiti is not poor, that Haiti is impoverished. Poor. Impoverished. The Merriam-Webster dictionary used as an example phrase: "a country may become impoverished after a devastating war". Yes, Saint Domingue was rich. Then Saint Domingue became impoverished after a devastating war. The impoverished Saint Domingue became Haïti. Haïti started poor and has remained poor for the next 200+ years.
Since 1804 Haiti had a low-export economy, namely a Subsidence Economy, a Survival Economy. Low-Export = Poverty. High-Export = Prosperity. The Low-Export Economy was and is the wish of the peasant (ex-slave) class. Democracy at play: the majority class (the peasant/ex-slave) prevailed over the minority class (the elite bourgeois) on economic matters. The elite (the bourgeoisie) wanted, wished a High-Export economy but such an economy cannot be accomplished without the labor and consent of the worker/peasant (ex-slave) class. In Haiti, a Marxist Economy was achieved long before the foundation of Marxism was put on paper.
The Haitian Revolution was an opportunistic and reactionary Revolution: if there were no French Revolution of 1789, there would have been no Haitian Revolution. There has always been slave revolts throughout the Americas and the Haitian slave revolts were no different from the revolts elsewhere. In 1789 France fell into crisis and was seen weak by the other European Powers. France was distracted by its troubles in Europe and cannot give full focus to its troubles in the Americas. Because of the wars amongst the colonial powers in Europe, Spain was distracted by its troubles in Europe and thus cannot give full focus to its troubles in the Americas. Spain being weakened, the Spanish colonies proceeded their campaigns of Independence from Spain.
A silly commentator writes: "imo haiti barely had any chance to do anything, not to mention nation building, since they had to deal with how many coups from the west?" Incorrect. With the French Revolution of 1789, France was at war with various European powers. England and Spain attacked St Domingue not for St Domingue itself but because St Domingue was a French colony. Once Haiti became independent and Haiti had no Navy, Haiti became a NPC (non-playing character) in the war amongst the Colonial Powers. France had its hands full with fighting the European powers to be bothered much with Haiti. Yes, France got reparations from Haiti at no cost of French lives. After 1804, no European Power was interested in Haiti.
The American Revolution was a deliberate and purposeful Revolution. In the 1770's England was in no crisis. If anything, the American Revolution may give an impetus to the French Revolution. The Founders predicted the excesses of the upcoming French Revolution. Haiti does not have the equivalent to the USA Federalist Papers.
Independence for independence's sake is a silly concept. Ask yourself: what is the purpose for Independence? What is the ultimate goal: winning the war? winning the peace? Since 1804 Haiti has been losing the Peace. A 5 year-old child is foolish to seek independence from the parents. Yes, France were terrible parents. There is/was no International Child Protection Services for Nations. So Haiti, the 5 year-old child, was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Bad Karma for Haiti. Haiti is still stuck between a rock and a hard place because of its own bad governance.
In 1804 Haiti found itself in an awkward position: a slave-less Nation amongst slave-full Nations. The attitude of Spain, USA, England towards Haiti was not one of hostility (none of them attacked Haiti post 1804; Spain and England were busy fighting France and Haiti was no longer part of France) but of caution (after all, France did lose Saint Domingue and who knows what Haiti had up its sleeve). Given that Haiti had no naval power, the attitude of caution become one of indifference. Saint-Domingue's 2 largest exports: sugar and coffee. Cuba was becoming the sugar king. Colombia and Brazil were becoming coffee kings. Meanwhile, Haiti was selling off its mahogany, accelerating deforestation.
No Nation, past and present, is 100% self-sufficient and thus needs to trade non-militarily with other Nations. Haiti needed to make itself an asset, not a liability, to the community of Nations. An independent Nation is an actual Nation even if other Nations do not recognize it as such. Look at Taiwan: despite not being recognized officially by many nations ALL nations want to trade with Taiwan. Taiwan is an asset to the community of Nations. One cannot say the same about Haiti.
But, but, but Taiwan did not have to suffer the torture of French-style colonial slavery!!! Swing and a miss. The point of Taiwan, which suffered through Japanese colonialism, is that even when it is the object of the People's Republic of China's campaign to delegitimize Taiwan in the eyes of the International World, Taiwan is still thriving. But let us play the Victim Olympics Game. South Korea went through WW2 and the Korean War and by 1953 South Korea was in much worse physical state than Haiti has been in 1804. Yet today (2024 AD) South Korea is in much better shape than Haiti. Key difference: in 1954 the Korean people were more educated and civilized than the Haitian ex-slaves of 1804 who were utterly uneducated and very barely domesticated. Haiti had 200 years to civilize its population and no foreign power prevented the domestication of the Haitian people.
Sorry Marxist revisionists: Simon Bolivar would still have accomplished his goals against Spain without Haiti's assistance; Haiti's token help was appreciated but it was not essential. Slavery in South America would still be abolished without the advice from Pétion. The USA would still have won over Great Britain without the 200-odd freed Haitian slaves who died in the battle of Savannah. The Marxist advocates for Haiti have lost perspective: the relevant issue is the Present and the Future, not the Past. The Marxist revisionists are stuck and lost in the weeds of the Past, grasping at straws, acting like some aged movie star looking at reruns of the very distant (and very irrelevant) glorious past.
Reparations do not stifle economic development. Look at Germany who had to pay reparations for WW1 and WW2. And yet Germany became a powerhouse after WW1 and after WW2. What is missing in your worldview? Answer: human resources, the human development index. The German people had the proper mindset for effective nation building. The Haitian people never had the proper mindset for effective nation building.
France is not obligated to return anything to Haiti. Haiti made an agreement with France, adult-to-adult. Haiti is not an infant.
What is the point of being an Independent Nation if you let yourself to be slapped around by foreigners? There are maintenance costs to Independence. Independence is not free.
Independence for independence's sake is a silly concept. Ask yourself: what is the purpose for Independence? What is the ultimate goal: winning the war? winning the peace? Since 1804 Haiti has been losing the Peace. A 5 year-old child is foolish to seek independence from the parents. Yes, France was a terrible parent. There is/was no International Child Protection Services for Nations. So Haiti, the 5 year-old child, was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Bad Karma for Haiti. Haiti is still stuck between a rock and a hard place because of its own bad governance.
I am amused by talking heads discussing without end about transition committees, United Nations programs, and other such "democratic" trivialities. The Ancient Greeks had it correct: the machinery of democracy is always too slow to fix a crisis. To fix a crisis the Ancient Greek Elders appoint a tyrant whose orders are followed without question. Key: without question; because questioning (via democratic process) takes too long while the crisis worsens. What are the characteristics of the ideal tyrant? Answer: Reputation for honesty, integrity, virtue, experience, wisdom, and VIOLENCE; and nationwide respect. The tyrant is chosen from the citizenry; the tyrant cannot be a foreigner. Also: the tyrant is wise enough to retreat from power when the crisis is solved away. Usually the tyrant has to exert violence upon those damaging the citizenry. Violence brings about primordial fear and respect is the underlayer of fear. One cannot fear without respect. Fear may foment Resentment and still respect lingers with Resentment. Respect of the capability of the tyrant to eliminate you.
While the pundits, empty talking heads, politicians, intellectuals emitting hot air pollution about Transition Committees and Assorted Plans, Haiti needs to find its Tyrant (in the Ancient Greek meaning), its Cincinnatus. If Haiti can find a Toussaint L'Ouverture (NOT J.J. Dessalines) as tyrant, so much the better. Haiti needs to find its Bukele.
Bukele. Of El Salvador. Bukele is Arab with Lebanese roots. Although elected democratically, Bukele had to act like a tyrant (in the Ancient Greek meaning) to bring order to El Salvador. Why bring up the Arab origin of Bukele? Many of the "oligarchs" in Haiti are of Arab descent. Just as talking heads and pundits have distorted perceptions of Haiti's gangs, said talking heads and pundits have distorted perceptions of Haiti's "oligarchs". These oligarchs can take their fortunes (millions of dollars, NOT billions) and live an easy life in the USA or Europe. However these oligarchs choose Haiti, a hellhole, as their home. No one aims to make their home shitty. These oligarchs came to Haiti as refugees from the Middle East after WW2. These refugees were Christian or Jewish, not Muslim. These refugees came with little fortune and definitely NO political power. These refugees became "oligarchs" through competency, work ethic, and business honesty. These oligarchs became such because they can get things done.
At one point there were 6 foreign banks in Haiti. The last foreign bank, CitiGroup, left Haiti as of July 2024. The foreign Banks sold their interests to - I presume - haitian oligarchs.
There are now 8 Haitian commercial banks. Why invest in an enterprise if you have no hope for said enterprise? What hope(s) do these oligarchs see in Haiti? The talking heads and pundits seem clueless about the hopes for Haiti.
Why Haiti began and remains poor (pt 5 of 11).
Frederick Douglass' speech on Haiti in Chicago (January 2, 1893)
A silly commentator writes: "To debunk your own self, Google Frederick Douglass Chicago speech on Haiti."
The speech is very long and I will touch only the most salient points.
Frederick Douglass was presenting the Haitian exhibit at the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 held in Chicago that celebrated the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' voyage to the Americas. To sell the Haitian exhibit to the audience Douglass had to mythologize Haiti (overplay the good, underplay the bad). However, if all Douglass did was to mythologize Haiti, he will be seen as dishonest and fake. So Douglass had to tell some facts about Haiti to retain credibility.
Now the speech (My comments will be in brackets [...]):
... it is a remarkable and lamentable fact, that while Haiti is so near us and so capable of being so serviceable to us ... selling her coffee and her other valuable products to Europe for gold, and sending us her gold to buy our flour, our fish, our oil, our beef and our pork; while she is thus enriching our merchants and our farmers and our country generally, she is the one country to which we turn the cold shoulder. ...
>>>>> [By selling her coffee and other products to Europe, isn't Haiti enriching herself? Why the complaint that the US is enriching itself by selling flour, oil, beef, pork to Haiti? How
one is giving a cold shoulder to a country with which one is doing commerce? An illogical argumentation by Douglass.]
But a deeper reason for coolness between the countries is this: Haiti is black, and we have not yet forgiven Haiti for being black or forgiven the Almighty for making her black.
>>>>> [Subjective opinion of Douglass. This is 1893 and the USA has already recognized Haiti as a sovereign country. Political Resentment by Blacks started early.]
In every other country on the globe a citizen of Haiti is sure of civil treatment. In every other nation his manhood is recognized and respected.
>>>>> [Nope. Definitely not in France which was collecting reparations from Haiti. More racial resentment from Douglass. While the USA had 100% of its slaves in the USA, Europe had 99% of
its slaves OUTSIDE Europe. In the 1890's the occasional Black in Europe is seen NOT with respect but with curiosity.]
Besides, after Haiti had shaken off the fetters of bondage, and long after her freedom and independence had been recognized by all other civilized nations, we continued to refuse to acknowledge the fact and treated her as outside the sisterhood of nations.
>>>>> [Nope. This is 1893 and the USA has already recognized Haiti as a sovereign country. Political Resentment by Blacks started early.]
The attempt to create angry feeling in the United States against Haiti because she thought proper to refuse us the Mole St. Nicolas, is neither reasonable nor creditable.
>>>>> [Nope. There was no popular animosity against Haiti because a military base cannot be set in Mole St. Nicolas. Such request was made several times and Haiti refused. So what. Later
the US got Guantanamo in Cuba.]
She produces coffee, cotton, log-wood, mahogany and lignum-vitae.
>>>>> [Notice that sugar was not on the list of Haitian products.]
With such an income, if Haiti could be kept free from revolutions, she might easily become, in proportion to her territory and population, the richest country in the world.
>>>>> [Western Left applauds: "HAITI THE RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!". The mythologizing of Haiti. Douglass was realistic with the caveat: "free from revolutions".]
And yet she is comparatively poor, not because she is revolutionary.
>>>>> [So revolution did not make Haiti poor?]
I have said that the men did not strike me as equal to the women, and I think that this is largely due to the fact that most of the men are compelled to spend much of their lives as soldiers in the service of their country, and this is a life often fatal to the growth of all manly qualities. Every third man you meet within the streets of Port au Prince is a soldier.
>>>>> [This is the legacy of Dessalines: Militarism and Gunpowder. Gangs in Port-au-Prince, 2024 AD: sounds familiar?]
Yet, there she is, torn and rent by revolutions, by clamorous factions and anarchies; floundering her life away from year in a labyrinth of social misery.
Every little while we find her convulsed by civil war, engaged in the terrible work of death; frantically shedding her own blood and driving her best mental material into hopeless exile.
The explanation is this: Haiti is a country of revolutions. They break forth without warning and without excuse.
Under such a condition of things a tranquil mind is impossible.
There is ever a chronic, feverish looking forward to possible disasters.
Incendiary fires; fires set on foot as a proof of dissatisfaction with the government; fires for personal revenge, and fires to promote revolution are of startling frequency.
Manifestly, this revolutionary spirit of Haiti is her curse, her crime, her greatest calamity and the explanation of the limited condition of her civilization.
Certain it is that while this evil spirit shall prevail, Haiti cannot rise very high in the scale of civilization.
While this shall prevail, she will resemble the man cutting himself among the tombs.
While this shall prevail, her rich and fruitful soil will bring forth briers, thorns and noxious weeds.
While this evil spirit shall prevail, her great natural wealth will be wasted and her splendid possibilities will be blasted.
>>>>> [Signs of a low trust society. This is 1893: there was no foreign campaign against Haiti. The Haiti revolutions were against and amongst Haitian factions.]
The common people of Haiti are peaceful enough. They have no taste for revolutions.
>>>>> [Incorrect. If the common people were peaceful, when given guns they would have dropped said guns. Sorrowfully, the common people love the adrenaline rush brought by violence,
blood, and gore. Douglass was such an innocent.]