Why Haiti is Dying & the DR is Booming

Select video clips courtesy of Getty Images

Select video clips courtesy of the AP Archive

Special thanks to MapTiler / OpenStreetMap Contributors and GEOlayers 3

[ziggamon]

I was deployed to Haiti in 2010 after the earthquake hit. That was the first time I've ever experienced pure anarchy, chaos, and complete poverty when we left the airport.

[josezuniga]

I feel like France doesn't get enough flak for its colonial history like Britain does. By far the former French colonies are some of the worst performing states in the modern day compared to former British and even Spanish colonies, and France continues practices of modern colonialism to this day.

[redox]

The history of Haiti is just *'wait, it gets worse'*
Truly unfortunate chain of events

[limpingwolf]

Who would administer the reparations? The Haitians themselves? If so, it will only be stolen by corruption and not a penny will see improvements to Haitians' living standards. Can't just throw money at problems, there has to be some kind of mechanism to ensure the money goes towards its intended purpose.

[bibitwo]

as a dominican living in the dr, i thank you for doing this video and shine light on this topic, since i feel it has been poorly covered and not given the enough importance that it deserves

[deanl]

It would be interesting to see a comparison between all of the former French, British and Spanish colonies. At first glance, it seems like a LOT of former French colonies are failed states.

[josuealexanderolaverrianie]

As a Dominican I thank you for bringing awarenes to this topic! Stay strong my fellow Haitians, there's still hope for a brighter future.

[ivanrodriguez]

And they blame the DR for not wanting any part of that mess within its borders.

[SeanCosgrove]

I appreciate the mention of the Haitian aggression against the DR in the first half of the 19th century. Many historians when describing why Haiti is poor, they omit how after winning independence, they oppressed their neighbor.

[jeffreydweeks]

Corruption, Corruption over and over. The millions of dollars in aid that has been stolen is insane.

[teodelfuego]

“On the brink of becoming a failed state.” On the brink? Sounds like the brink is in the rear view mirror at this point

[devinelovinsky]

There's this song from my childhood that I tend to sing whenever I think about Haiti. It's pretty much my prayer for a brighter future. The song is called Sove Peyi Mwen, meaning save my country.

"Sove peyi mwen
Bondye, Ou konnen nou soti lwen, wo-oh
Veye fanmi mwen
San yo, m pa t ap janm ka anyen, no, no, no
W a sove peyi mwen
Nou p ap kite l menm jan demen
Chanje krangou tounen vant plen
Nou p ap kite l menm jan demen"

-Christopher "FREEDOM" Laroche, 2004

Translation:
Save my country
Good God, you know we came a long way
Watch over my family
As without, I wouldn't have become anything
You'll save my country
Don't leave it the same way tomorrow
Change hunger, turn it into a filled belly
We won't keep it the same way tomorrow"

Having been raised in Haiti for a while, the country holds an important place in my heart. I don't know if I'll ever be able to see Haiti prosper in my lifetime, but I pray that somewhere in its course, it gets to see greater days.

Note: in the translation, 'You' refers to God.

[Sethsters]

From 2016-2019 I led several teams on mission trips to Haiti every year.

The last time I was there we got stopped by a roadblock of several armed men. We were concerned but we trusted our driver and interpreter, who we had known and worked with for years. He rolled down the window and said something to one of the men, and based on his body language they knew each other. They chatted like friends for a few seconds before the armed man started barking out orders to the others to clear the way for us to pass.

The whole ordeal lasted just a minute or two. Afterwards we asked our driver what all that was about and he, in a roundabout way, confirmed it was a gang, but that he was a childhood friend of the the head guy’s younger brother so we had nothing to worry about as long as we were with him.

A year later we get the heartbreaking news that our driver’s wife was shot and killed while shopping.

I haven’t been back since and probably never will.

[JC]

Im from Antigua and Barbuda, currently in Guyana, I wasnt aware that our country were sending people over to Haiti, let alone the magnitude of the situation the countrys been in ever since 2021. I hope peace and prosperity can be met within Haiti one day

[latoyatangelo]

I’m from The Bahamas and can’t thank you enough for this video. The entire history of Haiti is so sad.

[PastorBobby]

Not just the French, the Duvaliers took away everything the people had...

[gusefalito]

As a Dominican living abroad, thank you for covering the histories of both nations with scrutiny and not shying away from their imperfections. I didn't know about the conspiracy with Aristide. It definitely helps me see the situation in Haiti differently. Thank you.

[kevdes]

As a Haitian still living in Port-au-Prince, you have my thanks for this very insightful review of our history. I wish I could say that things are getting better but that is absolutly not the case. I love my country so much and it's sad that you can't see yourself optimisticly within a year or 2. This spiral may never end.

[kevinsbikingadventures]

I know a woman whose parents are from Haiti and who has been to both Haiti and the Dominican Republic. I've only been to the Dominican Republic. One thing that I found odd that she said is that both countries seem to have drastically different environments and just "feel different." Your video explained a bit about why she felt that way, especially concerning deforestation.

[al-rediph]

The last payments Haiti had to make, were in 1947. More than a decade later, Haiti and DR have still (surprisingly) the same GDP. Meaning both countries started in the 60s with comparable economical situations, even political. 
Over the last 60 years, Haiti received around US$20 billion in aid for reconstruction and development.
And here we are ... believing that another $20 billion will change something.
DR developed a civil society while Haiti perfected the art of anarchy.
It would be interesting to look at how DR managed to do this, especially since the 60s, and why Haiti failed, under similar conditions.