I selected this video from the VOX Borders series to provide insight into the colonization of both Haiti and the Dominican Republic, their separate evolutions, and the lasting impact of those different developments on today’s Hispaniola. Those born in Haiti are 2.5 times more likely to die in infancy than people from the DR; Haitians are also around ten times poorer and have a shorter average life span than Dominicans. This is largely due to the choices of the imperial European powers, France and Spain, that invaded the island. France, which owned Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), exploited the land with little regard for how its production of export crops would render the soil infertile. The enslaved people of Saint-Domingue eventually rebelled and began the first independent black Republic which long went unrecognized by other nations and was forced to repay a debt to France for rebelling. Spain, which owned Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic), used fewer slaves on Hispaniola, and the Spanish colonizers integrated with what was left of the native population. Santo Domingo’s government and economy were more sustainable than that of Saint-Domingue. Racism from powerful nations and within the island itself ensured that Haiti would be hindered from attaining a stable government and a standard of living equal to the DR’s. This video concentrates on the contemporary consequences of the profit-driven European control of Hispaniola.
Questions:
- What consequences, if any, should nations that were imperial powers in the past face for oppressions that have lasted into the 21st century? What level of reparations, if any, should be expected of them?
- How does climate change disproportionately impact economically-deficient or unstable nations? What level of responsibility do more economically-thriving/stable nations owe to protecting these places?
I think France definitely should be held accountable for the tragic situation in Haiti. The so called "independence tax" seems like something they created because they were mad they weren't in charge anymore. Was this done in any other colony? I think France should repay the 15M in today's equivalent.
ReplyDeleteThe video you picked was very informative! It was extremely sad to find out that it is 2.5 times more likely to die as a baby in Haiti than if the baby was born in the Dominican Republic. It is also terrible that these problems are in part due to colonization. Since the French colonized Haiti and oppressed them to make it and economic colony, while the Spanish colonized Dominican Republic and integrated racially with them, the separate colonies evolved to be very different from one another after independence was received. The colonizers should take some responsibilities for their actions, like possibly providing Haiti with money or helping them when natural disasters hit. In the video, when the director showed the landscape differences, it was interesting as it showed that how one generation takes care of the land around use can affect future generations ability to use the land for survival and a source of money. This could tie into your question about climate change as climate change can drastically affect the agriculture, which is what many Haitians seem to be reliant on for a means of income. Therefore, taking care of one’s land and environment is crucial in allowing for future generations success.
ReplyDeleteI think this video, as well as your summary, do a great job at pointing out how racism paired with certain types of colonization can shape a nation. I was particularly interested with the question of what do previous colonizers owe to the colonized nations. While it would help if they received reparations from the colonizers, it seems money is the bare minimum these countries need. The video points out the structural and environmental problems that Haiti faces, and since these problems are due to colonizers, I believe they should be a part of the solutions. Without help, Haiti will have a very hard time in stabilizing. However, having powerful previous colonizing countries involved in a solution, brings up the question of can these previous colonizers be involved in helping developing countries without expecting something in return? In similar situations, the answer is no. This is exemplified in Jamaica with loans from the IMF, which was designed to help developing nations, but only dug Jamaica in a deeper hole.
ReplyDeleteI think that this shows the lasting effects that imperialism and climate change can have on a country. These two countries exist in the same place geographically and both have similar climates, but the farming practices caused an exploitation of resources too quickly and left its people without anything to grow on or use.
ReplyDeleteIn many of our stories, we see racism as a way of justifying the exploitation of neighbors, and this video shows how this can work. The Dominicans treat the Haitians “like dogs,” and strip away their freedom by initiating institutionally racist policies. The way that the Haitians must bribe their way through border shows that a country’s borders can be the most focused point of that countries xenophobia.
One of your questions asked if the countries should be expected to pay reparations for their past mistakes. I think it’s difficult to determine what level of damage a country did, seeing that many national powers have had imperialistic tendencies. Though the French left the Haitians with depleted resources, the fact remains that Haiti rebelled against the French, but it was unethical for the French to expect the Haitians to pay back their debts. Climate change definitely disproportionately effects people of developing countries. For one, developing countries rely more heavily on sources of water, like rivers and oceans, than people in developing countries. As water levels rise, you push these people away from their homes and cause them to uproot. Also, climate change effects weather patterns, causing an uptick in violent storms.