Haiti has two distinctions in the Western Hemisphere. Firstly, it is one of only two nations that have French as their official language. Secondly, and perhaps more significantly, it is the poorest nation on the western side of the globe. Both of statistics are revealing about the status and experience of Haiti.
Between the 1400 and 1600s, both the French and the Spanish laid claim to the island of Hispaniola (of which modern Haiti occupies the western third). In 1697 the two European nations settled hostilities by diving the territory in half. The French received the western half and named it Sainte-Domingue. They quickly established permanent settlements and developed plantations. The primary crop was sugar cane, but land was also dedicated to indigo and coffee. These were all important exports, from which the French profited intensely. To sustain their agricultural endeavors, the colonist imported slaves en mass. The island was one of the harshest and most brutally effective slave colonies. Due to backbreaking labor and tropical disease, more than a third of slaves died within the first year in Sainte-Domingue. Admits these conditions many planters and overseers took advantage of slave women. As a result a substantial mixed race population developed. Many were freed by their fathers and went to live in communities of “gens du couleur libre” (free black men). These people lived separately from both slave and white society.
Inspired by the French Revolution, the slave population of Sainte-Domingue revolted in 1791. After the revolution, the island was renamed for the Amerindian name for mountains. The current president recognized that not all the former slaves spoke French and wanted the nations name to reflect that. To this day Haiti is the only nation to be born out of a slave revolt. The French eventually agreed to recognize the independence of the island in 1838 in exchange for a large sum of money. However, their autonomy did not last long, as the U.S came to occupy the nation until the late 1930s. When the United States discontinued its presence, Haiti was taken over by the Duvalier family, a line of dictators. Only in the 1990s did Haiti moved to a system of general election.
Haiti’s history has been shape by its lack of self-governance. Early on, Haiti was crippled by the massive sum of 150 million francs to the French. Furthermore, as an upstart country, Haiti was isolated internationally. Few nations were willing to invest in the new nation. In more modern times, first world countries such as the United States have benefited from Haiti’s low labor costs and tariff free access. This exploitation has contributed to Haitis high inflation rates and extreme trade deficit. Haiti has also suffered greatly from internal official corruption, lack of access to education, and reliance on traditional technology.
Since the removal of the Duvalier Haiti has made attempts to remove its economy with increased focus on trade and tariff liberalization. Haiti also worked with World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to help stimulate private sector growth. However, political uprisings and natural disasters since the early 1990s have greatly undermined Haiti’s efforts to achieve economic stability.
According to the Haitian newspaper Haiti Progress, Haiti is at a crossroads. In an article about the grand opening of a Haiti Best Western, the paper suggests that the country is looking towards the tourism industry as a means for economic improvement. The article explains that many Haitians are hoping to see new luxury hotels and accommodations, “make a change in infrastructure.” However, it is clear that not all Haitians feel this way. Haitian Times expresses very different views. In an article discussing the possibility of cruise ships setting up on the island, it states that with 400, 000 still in tents after the devastating 2010 earthquake, it is still too soon.
Sources:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-6107857.html
http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/History/Haiti-history.htm
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0323/p15s01-bogn.html
ttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/flags/flagtemplate_ha.html
http://www.heritage.org/index/country/haiti
http://www.usip.org/publications/haitis-economic-challenge
http://www.haiti-progres.com/article.php?id=696&type=2
http://www.haitiantimes.com/with-400000-still-under-tents-its-too-soon-for-carnival/
Globalization and Digital Technology 