The Haitian Earthquake

As a result of the Treaty of Ryswick in 1697, France took control of what would become Haiti. It took a bloody revolution to overthrow the French colonials. Haiti gained independence in 1804 after several ghastly battles against the French imperialists. France then, amazingly, blackmailed Haiti into paying a vast indemnity for diplomatic recognition.

The U.S., which occupied Haiti from 1915-1934, has continuously supported dictators within Haiti for the sake of stability. These dictators have used the national treasury as their own personal bank account. They've only stepped down when the U.S. has acknowledged that the dictators had to leave.

France's legacy of colonization and the U.S. support of dictators are two important reasons towards explaining Haiti's underdevelopment. Both countries must do everything they can to help the people of Haiti after the disastrous earthquake that struck the Caribbean nation on Tuesday.

When President Jean-Bertrand Aristide proposed instituted government programs to aid the poor during his first term as president in 1991, the mulatto elite pushed back. He was quickly deposed by the army. Even Aristide could not transcend the historical autocracy that has defined the executive in Haiti. His second term in office was cut short when most of his supporters disowned him because of this.

One legacy of Aristide's rule was dismantling the military. The military had played a nefarious role throughout much of Haiti's history, deposing presidents that didn't serve its interests. One justification was that Haiti faced little threat of foreign invasion. But a military can serve to aid people in the wake of an earthquake. It’s one of the tragic conundrums of Haitian history.

It's difficult to find a silver lining in such destruction. But if there is one, it's that Haitians have never relied on the government. Past governments have always been ineffectual at providing even the most basic needs. Not to generalize, but Haitians have always shown a kind of resilience known in few places in the world. They've had to make their own way. The Haitian government and the world have ignored them. Sometimes it takes a horrific tragedy to present an opportunity to correct a historical wrong.