c c Evans

Shannon Evans

Joel Goldbach

English 201 P5

April 21, 2010

The Collapse of Haiti, and its Influences:

Foreign Affairs, the Corruption of Their Government, and Depletion of Their Economy

The magnitude of the 7.0 earthquake that hit Port-au-Prince has left hundreds of

thousands dead, injured, homeless, and starving. Many recent sources are saying around

230,000 people died. Could the impact of the earthquake been prevented? It is an easy answer,

yes. If America, the Haitian government, and their elite took the initiative to help before the

earthquake the outcome would have been much different. A few factors that contributed to the

devastating effects of the earthquake are the lack of medicine, water, food, emergency supplies,

poor architecture, and the malnourishment/ dehydration of many Haitians. However, these

things would have taken years to implement in Haitian society. Nothing is easily done when

external influences (The US, Government, Wealthy Haitians, and other countries in business

with Haiti) suppress the wants and needs of the proletariat. America¶s large role in the shaping

of Haiti has had a negative impact. Much of the poverty and corruptness of Haiti has been

caused by the US¶s selfish desires to take all Haitian resources. America heavily influenced

their government and monopolized their businesses. This in turn led to the demise of the Haitian

economy, widespread poverty, and the creation of slums.

The oppression of Haiti has been constant, dating all the way back to when the French

colonized Haiti, with rich white men using slaves from the triangular trade. Even after the
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slaves overthrew the French and became their own independent nation in 1808, things have

been unstable. Not knowing how to build a government and how to salvage the little resources

they had Haiti fell into relying on other countries for help. Since Haiti had land and resources

with potential, other countries were more than willing to step in. These countries put pressure

on Haiti to let them monopolize their goods and help to set up their government. The

government in Haiti has traditionally been a semi-presidential republic. The president and prime

minister have the power to put many of their own delegates into the legislature The National

Assembly. It is clear how this could cause biases and unfairness. The government is usually on

the unstable side and heavily influenced by other countries.

The presence of these countries make it hard for poor, uneducated Haitians to rise up

against their corrupt government. As Peter Hallward¶s states ³Along with sending emergency

relief, we should ask what we can do to facilitate the self-empowerment of Haiti's people and

public institutions. If we are serious about helping we need to stop trying to control Haiti's

government, to pacify its citizens, and to exploit its economy. And then we need to start paying

for at least some of the damage we've already done.´ Many do not understand that other

countries see Haiti as more of a marketplace then a country. Since other countries monopolize

Haiti¶s goods it is hard for the Haitian workers to start their own businesses, which inevitably

suppresses any motivation to try to do anything besides work for wealthy Haitians, the

government, or other countries endeavors.³Around 75% of the population lives on less than $2

per day, and 56% ± four and a half million people ± live on less than $1 per day.´ Without any

power or money Haitians are helpless. The Haitians know the significant role others have

played in corrupting their government to benefit themselves.

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There are plenty of Americans who do not know the Haitians true feelings towards us.

Jay Newton-Small uncovers the truth telling of how he traveled into Cite Soliel (the largest

slum in all of Haiti, located in Port au Prince) expecting to be greeted with kindness, but he was

instead sneered at and ridiculed. The devastation is intense. He tells of the destruction of

buildings, no clean water, civilians searching for loved ones in piles of bodies, and the white

moustaches of spices on almost everyone to ward of the putrid stench of death and decay. Many

Haitians are angered that no one has helped them earlier. In America we have assumed Haiti is

thankful and joyous for our help. The relief (money, medical supplies, clean water filters, food,

blankets, etc.) is a great thing and much needed, but the egocentric thinking of Americans is not.

A form of propaganda encountered was the article Why Haiti Matters in (

 by Barack

Obama boasts plenty of American nationalism. The article tells examples of how much the US

is helping. Obama made it seem that America saved Haiti. According to him whenever disaster

strikes America is always there to help. Some quotations from (

 are ³The United

States of America will lead the world in this humanitarian endeavor. That has been our history,

and that is how we will answer the challenge before us´ and ³But above all, we act for a very

simple reason: in times of tragedy, the United States of America steps forward and helps. That

is who we are. That is what we do. For decades, America's leadership has been founded in part

on the fact that we do not use our power to subjugate others, we use it to lift them up.´ Is this

message supposed to counteract that we did not do much before the earthquake hit? Some real

quotations from the poor in Cite Soleil show different exclamations. "The sky has already

fallen, and now you come," bemoaned a tearyoman in French, arms outstretched as if to God, as

our caravan passed. Too late, too late,´ ³I am your property, nothing else, sneered a girl. The

media in America and other countries around the world are biased in what they print and censor
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out the real feelings of many. It would be detrimental to stop all aid, but to expect gratification

from Haitians is out of line. America and other countries should not be praised for helping now

after they have previously aided in taking down the country and eliminating their own

resources. The relief The US have given them now is only a small retribution for the damages

previously caused.

The majority of the impoverished citizens of Haiti now live in large unorganized slums.

There is barely any of the population still residing in rural areas. Many were forced to either

move or die from lack of money. Money is everything, even though most make very little, they

cannot survive without it. Haiti used to have many minerals, like copper, gold, and marble, but

after America used up all the natural resources of the rural areas the only business left was

industry. The massive movement of Haitians from small towns into cramped cities created the

slums. The conditions are unsanitary and not safe to live in. Many died in the earthquake from

the poor construction. A former mayor, Briel Leveille, addresses the problem. ³The misery of

the countryside is compounding the effects of the disaster. I¶ve heard people say it would be

better to risk another earthquake in Port-au-Prince than to stay in this rural poverty without any

help from the government.´c Now that there is barely even any work left in Port-au-Prince and

other urban areas Haitians have no way to support themselves. This mass unemployment has

caused a domino effect. Since there are no jobs, there is no income, and no money means no

food, shelter, clothes, medical supplies, and clean water. Without these basic necessities the

Haitians are easily weakened by disease, starvation, and dehydration. When the earthquake

struck many people were trapped without food or water, since many Haitians were already

weakened they did not have the energy to wait for help as long as healthy person could. The

countries that have taken advantage of Haiti at its weakest contribute to the unemployment,
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because after they saw there were no more resources left they cut ties with all the businesses. So

when the world left Haiti with no jobs, it also caused the poverty and all the negative things that

come along with it.

Additional influences to the past and current state of Haiti are the small but powerful

minority of wealthy Haitians. Simon Romero explains how the rich Haitians live. Most wealthy

Haitians are self-absorbed, and ignore what happened to the rest of the Haitians. Not even miles

away from a relief camp people are gambling, going to night clubs and fine dining, without

much more than a nod towards the stranded people. ³The rich people sometimes need to step

over us to get inside, said Judith Pierre, 28, a maid who has lived for weeks in a tent front of a

Lebanese restaurant. This is disgusting that people can be so inhumane.´ Those who are gone

are gone and buried, and we can¶t do anything about that,´ said Michel Sejoure, 21, a Haitian

enjoying a drink. Asked about the displaced-persons camp down the street, he said, ³I would

want to help but I don¶t have enough, and the government should be the ones that are actually

helping these people out. But, they¶re not.´ This attitude exemplifies how change is almost

impossible. In many ways the wealthy Haitians are a prime example of the Haitian government

who has seemed to adopt the motto, ³Not my problem.´ The government and Haitian business

workers have bowed down to other countries. Wealthy Haitians inherited their money from

family businesses that are operated in Haiti but mostly controlled by other countries. If they are

wealthy and in power then they will continue to let other nations take advantage and control.

As much as Haitians are seeking refuge in other countries after the earthquake, the elite Haitians

and their government also need to start helping. To change Haiti for good and make sure these

things do not keep happening the class system cannot be as divided.

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One person who made quite an impact on Haiti¶s government was Jean-Bertrand

Aristide. He was the first democratically elected president of Haiti. Aristide showed a glimmer

of how Haiti can recover. His accomplishments included, low cost food and housing, creating

easier access to health care and education, doubling the minimum wage, and prohibited human

trafficking. Overall he gave Haitians more human rights and power. Aristide attempted to

uncorrupt the government, but at the same time he took violent opposition to any critics of his

own. He was sensitive to anyone that could take away his power, including the presence of

other countries. He wrote a book called

  
    

  . In it he exclaims, ³Women, children and the poor must be the

subjects, not the objects, of history. They must sit at the decision-making tables and fill the halls

of power." Aristide was an inspiration to many.

There is not much good that can come from the earthquake in an already impoverished

country, but there just might be underlying positives if people work to understand what this can

mean for the future. The recent earthquake in Haiti has jumpstarted a generosity movement

throughout the world. It also caused many more people to open their eyes to see the vastness of

poverty, corruptness, and injustice Haitians have been living with for years. Hopefully, with the

attention the earthquake has brought to Haiti the world can help not just with relief, but also the

overall state. Does the US remember the devastation already present before the earthquake?

And more importantly do they remember who was responsible for it? The current restructuring

of Haiti needs to center around rebuilding government, businesses, and residences. And it must

be done with the help of the forces that initially caused Haiti¶s demise.
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Works Cited

Aristide, Jean-Bertrand and Laura Flynn.   

     

   . Monroe, Common Courage, 2000.

Hallward, Peter. "Our Role in Haiti's Plight." (
 13 Jan. 2010.

Newton-Small, Jay. "Into an Angry Land: The Land Route Into Ravaed Haiti."
 .

16 Jan. 2010. Web. 2 Apr. 2010.

<http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1953379_1953494_19543

27,00.html>.

Obama, Barack. "Why Haiti Matters." (

. 15 Jan. 2010. Web. 2 Apr. 2010.

<http://www.newsweek.com/id/231131>.

cRomero, Simon. "Quake Accentuated Chasm That Has Defined Haiti."

(

 .

27 Mar. 2010. Web. 2 Apr. 2010.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/world/americas/28haitipoor.html?pagewanted=1>

.Sontag, Deborah. "Rural Haiti Struggles to Absorb Displaced."

(

 . 16 Mar.

2010. Web. 3 Apr. 2010.

<http://www.n ytimes.com/2010/03/17/ world/ame ricas/17rural.html>.