As I wrote before, my topic regards Haiti. More specifically I am going to focus on the problem of deforestation in Haiti.
It seems like the problem in the western part of the Caribbean island is now almost irreversible. With 98% of the land deforested, Haiti now represents hopelessness at its best.
Many people believe and argue that the Haitian problem is due to internal conflicts and political corruption. Nevertheless, the problem goes beyond that. Haiti since its beginning has represented everything that opposes the aristocratic west. Not only is it a predominantly black republic but also the first country to really declare every citizen free. As opposed to the American revolution which only offered “natural human rights” and “the pursuit of happiness” to white wealthy males, the Haitian revolution freed the enslaved Africans and even welcomed and admitted other blacks and Native Americans as free human beings once in the republic.
Thus, since its independence in January of 1804, Haiti threatened the American way of life. At the time of the Haitian revolution the American economy largely subsisted on the slave labor of African Americans. For this reason, the United States did not recognize the Haitian Republic until 1862.
It is important to note that this pattern of declaring the opposition illegitimate is a distinctive American method of maintaining power. Anything that opposes American ways is then declared undemocratic and savage. The same could be argued for countries like Cuba. Because Cuba threatened American “freedom and democracy” an embargo was raised and Cuba became stigmatized as a backward country that represses human freedom.
How then has the United States influenced the Haitian catastrophe?
Beginning with the invasion of Haiti in 1915 by the Wilson administration, Haiti entered an economic downshift that till this day continues to thrive. The Wilson administration proposed that Haiti become essentially an American Plantation. The proposal was greatly opposed in Haiti and could not be established.
The Wilson administration then proceeded to impose measures of agro-importation. Haitians were then forced to buy from the American companies. According to the American administration this measure aimed to provide more affordable food for the very poor.
Nevertheless, this caused a disparity between the rich few and the poor majority, and the inability for agricultural self-sufficiency. American companies then benefited from the Haitian people while the Haitian peasants could not compete with the American companies. While the Haitian peasants are extremely productive, they cannot compete with the industrialized companies of the United States.
Population growth together with an underdevelopment of infrastructure rapidly caused the degradation of the environment in Haiti. Because of the policies of the American government towards Haiti during the invasion of !915-1934, Haiti could not develop a fuel infrastructure for cooking. As insignificant as this might seem, this has been the major contributor to the environmental disaster. Most Haitians use wood as their only source of fuel for cooking. And over the years this has amounted to more and more deforestation. To this day Haiti cannot afford to bring other sources of fuel for the people.
Thus, the environmental crisis in Haiti has been a consequence of multiple U.S invasions and policies, which have hindered the ability for Haiti to develop alternative methods of fuel. In turn, the Haitian people completely subsist on wood for cooking.
As more evidence for this paper I will also look into the History of the ex-president Aristede. After Aristede made efforts to increase the Haitian minimum wage and establish measures of self-sufficiency the Bush senior administration sponsored military groups responsible for the overthrow of Jean-Bertrand Aristide. It s important to note that Aristede is considered to be the first democratically elected president in Haiti. After the coup, the OAS (organization of American States) decided to impose an embargo on Haiti. The United States violated the embargo allegedly in the interest of the people. Clearly, America wanted to continue to benefit from the exploitation of Haitians. America has never been interested in democratizing the Republic of Haiti.
Furthermore, when in 1994 the Clinton administration supposedly helped reinstate the democratically elected government, they did under the condition that Aristede, again rely on importation of American produce. This measure of course benefited the American Agri-business.
Over and over we see that the United States has imposed policies on Haiti, which simple benefit the American companies and the very rich few. This is largely the reason for which Haiti has not developed the economical means to provide its people with alternative fuel sources or even electricity. In turn this has caused the virtual disappearance of forests in Haiti.
I know that right now my argument is a bit unclear and unsupported. Nevertheless, this was a brainstorm so as to get me started. Now that I’ve put my main ideas on writing I can go back to some of the sources I have read and look for supporting information. Moreover, I now realize that I need additional sources about the environmental problem in Haiti; I have many sources about American policies towards Haiti but not enough about the environmental problem in Haiti.
I am writing this paper because I find it troublesome that though the United States is considered by many the land of the free and the exemplary representation of democracy, the American elite continues the autocratic and oppressive patterns present before the democratic revolutions. It is quite paradoxical that a nation built on the ideas of respect for human rights and democracy, continues the colonialist legacy of exploitation.
In writing this paper I hope to reach all those who care about the existence of all people, and about respect for human rights and freedom. I hope that this paper can become an eye opener. We continue to see that our government is still an oligarchy, ruled by the very small wealthy class who pursue egotistical and self-centered endeavors.
List of Sources additional to the three in the previous posting:
• The Uses of Haiti by Paul Farmer (book)
• Hegemony or Survival: America’s quest for global dominance by Noam Chomsky (book)
• Haiti Profile from the U.S Department of State
• “Haiti: Hope for the Future” by Robert M. Pedrito (article)
• “The Haiti Dilemma” by Daniel Erikson (article)
It seems like the problem in the western part of the Caribbean island is now almost irreversible. With 98% of the land deforested, Haiti now represents hopelessness at its best.
Many people believe and argue that the Haitian problem is due to internal conflicts and political corruption. Nevertheless, the problem goes beyond that. Haiti since its beginning has represented everything that opposes the aristocratic west. Not only is it a predominantly black republic but also the first country to really declare every citizen free. As opposed to the American revolution which only offered “natural human rights” and “the pursuit of happiness” to white wealthy males, the Haitian revolution freed the enslaved Africans and even welcomed and admitted other blacks and Native Americans as free human beings once in the republic.
Thus, since its independence in January of 1804, Haiti threatened the American way of life. At the time of the Haitian revolution the American economy largely subsisted on the slave labor of African Americans. For this reason, the United States did not recognize the Haitian Republic until 1862.
It is important to note that this pattern of declaring the opposition illegitimate is a distinctive American method of maintaining power. Anything that opposes American ways is then declared undemocratic and savage. The same could be argued for countries like Cuba. Because Cuba threatened American “freedom and democracy” an embargo was raised and Cuba became stigmatized as a backward country that represses human freedom.
How then has the United States influenced the Haitian catastrophe?
Beginning with the invasion of Haiti in 1915 by the Wilson administration, Haiti entered an economic downshift that till this day continues to thrive. The Wilson administration proposed that Haiti become essentially an American Plantation. The proposal was greatly opposed in Haiti and could not be established.
The Wilson administration then proceeded to impose measures of agro-importation. Haitians were then forced to buy from the American companies. According to the American administration this measure aimed to provide more affordable food for the very poor.
Nevertheless, this caused a disparity between the rich few and the poor majority, and the inability for agricultural self-sufficiency. American companies then benefited from the Haitian people while the Haitian peasants could not compete with the American companies. While the Haitian peasants are extremely productive, they cannot compete with the industrialized companies of the United States.
Population growth together with an underdevelopment of infrastructure rapidly caused the degradation of the environment in Haiti. Because of the policies of the American government towards Haiti during the invasion of !915-1934, Haiti could not develop a fuel infrastructure for cooking. As insignificant as this might seem, this has been the major contributor to the environmental disaster. Most Haitians use wood as their only source of fuel for cooking. And over the years this has amounted to more and more deforestation. To this day Haiti cannot afford to bring other sources of fuel for the people.
Thus, the environmental crisis in Haiti has been a consequence of multiple U.S invasions and policies, which have hindered the ability for Haiti to develop alternative methods of fuel. In turn, the Haitian people completely subsist on wood for cooking.
As more evidence for this paper I will also look into the History of the ex-president Aristede. After Aristede made efforts to increase the Haitian minimum wage and establish measures of self-sufficiency the Bush senior administration sponsored military groups responsible for the overthrow of Jean-Bertrand Aristide. It s important to note that Aristede is considered to be the first democratically elected president in Haiti. After the coup, the OAS (organization of American States) decided to impose an embargo on Haiti. The United States violated the embargo allegedly in the interest of the people. Clearly, America wanted to continue to benefit from the exploitation of Haitians. America has never been interested in democratizing the Republic of Haiti.
Furthermore, when in 1994 the Clinton administration supposedly helped reinstate the democratically elected government, they did under the condition that Aristede, again rely on importation of American produce. This measure of course benefited the American Agri-business.
Over and over we see that the United States has imposed policies on Haiti, which simple benefit the American companies and the very rich few. This is largely the reason for which Haiti has not developed the economical means to provide its people with alternative fuel sources or even electricity. In turn this has caused the virtual disappearance of forests in Haiti.
I know that right now my argument is a bit unclear and unsupported. Nevertheless, this was a brainstorm so as to get me started. Now that I’ve put my main ideas on writing I can go back to some of the sources I have read and look for supporting information. Moreover, I now realize that I need additional sources about the environmental problem in Haiti; I have many sources about American policies towards Haiti but not enough about the environmental problem in Haiti.
I am writing this paper because I find it troublesome that though the United States is considered by many the land of the free and the exemplary representation of democracy, the American elite continues the autocratic and oppressive patterns present before the democratic revolutions. It is quite paradoxical that a nation built on the ideas of respect for human rights and democracy, continues the colonialist legacy of exploitation.
In writing this paper I hope to reach all those who care about the existence of all people, and about respect for human rights and freedom. I hope that this paper can become an eye opener. We continue to see that our government is still an oligarchy, ruled by the very small wealthy class who pursue egotistical and self-centered endeavors.
List of Sources additional to the three in the previous posting:
• The Uses of Haiti by Paul Farmer (book)
• Hegemony or Survival: America’s quest for global dominance by Noam Chomsky (book)
• Haiti Profile from the U.S Department of State
• “Haiti: Hope for the Future” by Robert M. Pedrito (article)
• “The Haiti Dilemma” by Daniel Erikson (article)
1 comment:
Sounds like you are off to a good start and that you know most of the gaps in your research. It would be important to know who were/are the local "accomplices" who are helping decimate the country and to learn what they are making out of it.
Also, can you envision where your paper would be published? Who would get to read it specifically ? (this will help when you write it, trust me)
One other important part that you have not written of yet is SOLUTIONS. What is being done/not done? What could be done? If there is little on the subject you may want to check what is being done in Easter Island to bring it back to life (the natives + colonialists run it to the ground—there was nothing left)
Post a Comment