In spite of the proximity of Haiti to the U.S., very few Americans know much about this small island nation beyond the regular tragedies that show up on our news and that they practice voodoo. Philippe Girard’s new book, Haiti: The Tumultuous History - From Pearl of the Caribbean to Broken Nation, is a great introduction to the fascinating, colorful and all too often tragic history of Haiti that spans her history from the early days of European exploration all the way to the 2010 earthquake. I am going to Haiti in January of 2011 and was looking for an introduction to her history and I found a goldmine with Girard’s compact but thorough book.
What I especially liked is that Philippe Girard refuses to get into the blame game with Haiti’s woes. It is true that Haiti was exploited in its early history but so were many other nations and they are not in nearly the same shape as Haiti. According to Girard, Haiti’s woes can be placed squarely on centuries of corrupt leaders who have seized power in this island nation and used their nation as their own personal piggy bank. The end results is a giant welfare state that depends on foreign aid to function. Girard doesn’t sugarcoat the racism of America and the horror of the slave trade but neither does he allow these events to be an excuse for Haiti’s deplorable conditions.
What was most interesting was Girard’s conclusion. He asks the obvious question being asked by his primarily American audience: what should the U.S. do to help Haiti? His answer was surprising but dead on: as little as possible. Haiti needs to come into the world economy on its own. Free food helps feed people but it destroys Haiti’s agricultural sector. What Haiti has in abundance and the world has a need for is a cheap workforce that can do labor intensive light assembly. Are those jobs glamorous? Nope but in a country with something like 70% unemployment, these jobs are not exploitative they are gateways to a better future. Haiti is not going to go from welfare state to booming economy overnight and it is a century behind much of the rest of the world. All Haiti has going for it right now is a large, cheap workforce and natural beauty. To tap the one (the natural beauty) is going to require a stable country which requires stable employment (cheap workforce). Tourists are not ging to visit Haiti and spend their vacation money in a country that is unstable and the only way for Haiti to achieve last stability is to become economically independent.
Not everyone is going to agree with Girard but I think he makes a compelling case for how Haiti got where it is and the only real hope for Haiti in the future. Haiti: The Tumultuous History - From Pearl of the Caribbean to Broken Nation is a great introduction to our neighbor to the south that only seems to be in the news when the latest tragedy strikes. I think that the suggestions Girard makes could lead to Haiti someday being a tourism destination and a thriving economic partner instead of a nation broken by mismanagement.
What I especially liked is that Philippe Girard refuses to get into the blame game with Haiti’s woes. It is true that Haiti was exploited in its early history but so were many other nations and they are not in nearly the same shape as Haiti. According to Girard, Haiti’s woes can be placed squarely on centuries of corrupt leaders who have seized power in this island nation and used their nation as their own personal piggy bank. The end results is a giant welfare state that depends on foreign aid to function. Girard doesn’t sugarcoat the racism of America and the horror of the slave trade but neither does he allow these events to be an excuse for Haiti’s deplorable conditions.
What was most interesting was Girard’s conclusion. He asks the obvious question being asked by his primarily American audience: what should the U.S. do to help Haiti? His answer was surprising but dead on: as little as possible. Haiti needs to come into the world economy on its own. Free food helps feed people but it destroys Haiti’s agricultural sector. What Haiti has in abundance and the world has a need for is a cheap workforce that can do labor intensive light assembly. Are those jobs glamorous? Nope but in a country with something like 70% unemployment, these jobs are not exploitative they are gateways to a better future. Haiti is not going to go from welfare state to booming economy overnight and it is a century behind much of the rest of the world. All Haiti has going for it right now is a large, cheap workforce and natural beauty. To tap the one (the natural beauty) is going to require a stable country which requires stable employment (cheap workforce). Tourists are not ging to visit Haiti and spend their vacation money in a country that is unstable and the only way for Haiti to achieve last stability is to become economically independent.
Not everyone is going to agree with Girard but I think he makes a compelling case for how Haiti got where it is and the only real hope for Haiti in the future. Haiti: The Tumultuous History - From Pearl of the Caribbean to Broken Nation is a great introduction to our neighbor to the south that only seems to be in the news when the latest tragedy strikes. I think that the suggestions Girard makes could lead to Haiti someday being a tourism destination and a thriving economic partner instead of a nation broken by mismanagement.
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