"Haiti's poor resort to eating mud"

[Geronimo]

Originally posted by Kidicious


I'm pretty sure that the problem isn't too many brown people. More like too much oppression.

If the oppression went away their economy would perform well?

Do you believe failing economies are possible in the absence of oppression?

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Omni Rex Draconis
... Haiti was once a rich and verdant island, which could easily support their current density.

Back in the days when sugar was King. Nowadays, sugar is cheap, and so any nation which relies upon it is dirt poor.

Like most Caribbean islands, they could do well with tourism...

...right. When I think of tropical paradises, Haiti pops to mind.

... and those who wish to invest "offshore".

...in the U.S., we call these people tax evaders.

[Lancer]

In the '70s there was an internationally supported program in India which payed women to get their tubes tied. I think it was $700, but it's been an age since I read about it.

[VetLegion]

Originally posted by Heresson
With such wise parasites, why are human Haitians failing so miserably to create a well-functioning society?

I sometimes think about that too. It's actually a case of people being worse off left to their own devices than if they were conquered by a foreign power. There are other such places, mostly in Africa. I wonder what are the implications for the principle of soveregnitiy of countries.

Ironically, Haiti was the first decolonized country in the region.

[Riesstiu IV]

It's pretty sad to think that the brief US occupation of Haiti from 1915 to 1934 was arguably that nation's golden era. The construction of very basic infrastructure such as bridges and roads, the establishment of better security, and reforms in education was a high mark that quickly perished after US troops left.

If you ever have the time to read up on Haiti's "presidents" you'll find leadership that usually lasted a few years before being overthrown. The exception to this is François Duvalier who managed to rule with an iron fist for thirty years. He was most notable for creating a strange personality cult mixed with voodoo and having a private army massacre Haitian peasants with machetes at regular intervals in order to put fear into the populace.

Without a doubt Haiti is the worst nation in the Western Hemisphere.

[Barnabas]

I wonder why cant Haiti be at least as wealthy as Dominican Republic.
DR is also a third world country, but the difference between Dominican Republic and Haiti is abysmal, it is hard to believe they are on the same island.

[Krill]

Originally posted by Barnabas
I wonder why cant Haiti be at least as wealthy as Dominican Republic.
DR is also a third world country, but the difference between Dominican Republic and Haiti is abysmal, it is hard to believe they are on the same island.

'Cos it is smaller?

[Dr Strangelove]

Haiti has been raped and plundered by previous dictatorial regimes. Tropical wood was once it's primary source of income, but past regimes gave exporters carte blanche to take as much wood as they desired. Consequently Haiti has been nearly completely deforested, leading to not only a loss of income but also to a catastrophic loss of topsoil, depriving the country of its ability to grow even subsistence crops.

It wasn't the peasents' fault, it was the fault of Duvalier regimes. The reason why the DR is better off is that their dictators cared at least enough to conserve their natural resources.

[Straybow]

True 'nuff, tho I thought the deforestation predated Papa Doc.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Riesstiu IV
It's pretty sad to think that the brief US occupation of Haiti from 1915 to 1934 was arguably that nation's golden era.

No, that was when all of today's problems were set in motion. It is continuous U.S. meddling in Haiti's affairs that is killing that country.

[Riesstiu IV]

Haiti was a hellhole before the US occupation. It has long suffered from frequent political instability, economic turmoil, and deep seated divisions between the mostly mulatto upper class and the black population. Little has changed since the Haitian revolution over 2 centuries ago.

[Whoha]

that article is almost as good as the one on geophagia, but not quite.

[Geronimo]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


No, that was when all of today's problems were set in motion. It is continuous U.S. meddling in Haiti's affairs that is killing that country.

If not for the recent US intervention under UN auspices Haitis economy would have improved?

[David Floyd]

For now, at least, can we send more food so I don't have to hear that my fellow humans are forced to eat dirt cookies?

You certainly can.

What's this "we"? If you see a problem, then do something about it. Don't try to use my tax dollars to support your causes.

And I think Lancer is 100% right - the birth rate in the 3rd World is out of control, especially in the poorest of the poor countries. Part of the reason the 3rd World remains the 3rd World is unsupportable population growth. Even if the individual people in those countries don't see things on such a large scale, then look at it individually - they should know they can't afford to have kids. If contraception isn't available, then duh! Don't have sex! I know, I know, sex is natural to us, and I certainly wouldn't want to abstain. Then again, survival instinct is also natural, and I know for a fact that if I had an option between starving to death and not having sex, I'd be more abstinate than a eunuch.

What these people need is less corruption in government, a liberal education, and economic freedom. Those three things, IMO, will eradicate poverty much more so than government or foreign handouts which really just perpetuate the problem.

[SlowwHand]

If the USA even just reads about something, ownership of responsibility is passed to the USA.
That's the rules, didn't you know that?