Fixing Haiti Ain't Rocket Science (solution, dollars, private school, leader)
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The problem with this idea is that systematic foreign aid creates opportunities for corruption, cultures of dependency, and disincentives to develop.
Similarly, in Haiti, the Duvalier dynasty stole millions in aid funds from 1957 to 1986. Government leaders stand to gain more by perpetually receiving donations from rich countries, rather than developing a healthy economy and ultimately ending funding. Aid distorts political institutions because country leaders do not have to rely on taxpayers to provide funds, so there’s no incentive to respond to citizens’ needs and requests. No taxation; no representation.
So basically Haiti just needs capitalism like all the other developed countries have practiced. Why do people want to prescribe something different for poor countries like Haiti??
So basically Haiti just needs capitalism like all the other developed countries have practiced. Why do people want to prescribe something different for poor countries like Haiti??
When neoliberal capitalism was introduced to Haiti, it actually took away jobs and caused a hunger crisis. Cheap imports flooded the market, thus collapsing local industry. The US flooded the market with rice (since it was an unusually good harvest), which led to farm closures. A year or two later, the American harvest was not as good and there were less farms producing...thus starvation. So the economy tanked with IMF and World Bank reforms to liberalize the market. While for many countries this works, notably in South Korea, the main difference is that there is little to no industry in Haiti. Prior to the reforms to open the market in South Korea, there was industry. Capital stayed in South Korea. There is no capital in Haiti. Thus, what should happen are micro-loans for the poor (to stabilize the majority of the population) and increased investment in ventures that are fully Haitian are partly Haitian. Then once there is established industry that is able to compete, the market can be opened up.
I learned about a rather simple problem that is going to require a massive solution, residential reconstruction.
Without a formal government and with land records lying under tons of rumble, how do you rebuild homes when no one knows who are the rightful owners of the property that needs to be rebuilt?
So basically Haiti just needs capitalism like all the other developed countries have practiced. Why do people want to prescribe something different for poor countries like Haiti??
If you think it's a simple solution, I'd like to hear how you'd do it in a country will little infrastructure of any kind, a severe shortage of housing, contaminated water in most places and a population which has been educated to the 5th grade level, at best and if at all (there is no free public school system in Haiti nor any uniform standards for what few private schools there are).
So basically Haiti just needs capitalism like all the other developed countries have practiced. Why do people want to prescribe something different for poor countries like Haiti??
I don't know what it'd take to fix Haiti, but I do find one thing funny.
The house next to me is for sale. A Haitian missionary and his wife were looking at it. We got to talking, he said "Everyone down there has cell phones, they did before the quake, and do after. The poorest country in the world, and they all have phones"
Maybe they should start worrying about houses and food before phones?
Haiti is a basket case. Yes capitalism is the answer but the road is just too long that it's easier for them to try their luck elsewhere.
If they're going to rebuild it it has to start with simple industries but even simple industries they have screwed up, like lumbering where they cut down all their woods without replacing it. Land exhaustion has made farming an impossible task too. What else are they going to do?
Last edited by CaseyB; 01-13-2011 at 07:37 AM..
Reason: inflammatory
1.6 BILLION dollars has been spent in Haiti by Haitian's since the disaster, where is it?
Fixing Haiti? Let the Haitian's answer that for themselves.
As usual in America, blame everyone (going back decades) except the person/people currently responsible for the deed.....
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