The Haiti Earthquake and Economic Freedom
The ultimate tragedy in Haiti isn’t the earthquake; it’s that country’s lack of economic freedom. The earthquake simply but catastrophically revealed the inhuman consequences of this fact.
Registering 7.0 on the Richter scale, the Haitian earthquake killed tens of thousands of people. But the quake that hit California’s Bay Area in 1989 was also of magnitude 7.0. It killed only 63 people.
This difference is due chiefly to Americans’ greater wealth. With one of the freest economies in the world, Americans build stronger homes and buildings and roads, are better nourished, and have better health care and better search and rescue equipment. In contrast, burdened by one of the world’s least-free economies, Haitians cannot afford to build sturdy structures and roads. (Haitian builders often add sand to their concrete because concrete is so expensive there. The result is weaker buildings.) Nor can Haitians afford the health care and emergency equipment that we take for granted here in the U.S.
More than just anecdotes prove that richer societies are safer societies. Lots of data back up this observation. For example, in a 2005 paper, UCLA economist Matthew Kahn found that, while rich countries experience just as many natural disasters as do poor countries, persons in rich countries are less likely than are persons in poor countries to die from such disasters. Specifically, a country of 100 million people with a per-capita income of $8,000 will experience about 530 fewer deaths from natural disasters each year than will a country with the same population but where per-capita income is only $2,000. Raise the per-capita income from $8,000 to $14,000 and the annual expected death toll from natural disasters falls by another 233 persons.
These stark facts should be a lesson for those who insist that human habitats are made more dangerous, and human lives put in greater peril, by freedom of commerce and industry.
Thank you for your wise–and pithy–words, Professor Boudreaux. I have been marinating on this exact same idea the past few days, but every time I try to tell someone this thought, I come off sounding like a heartess cretin. You accomplished what I failed.
And yet – the world’s “help” to Haiti will be funneling in $billions through the UN, incidently locking the country into another generation of self-reinforcing poverty, as a welfare state.
Pat Robertson is a bit goofy—but ironically he is half right about Haiti’s disaster having much to do with the practice of voodoo by perhaps the majority of its citizens. One can be an atheist and still recognize that this near diabolical madness is not conducive to building a vibrant economy. A voodoo practitioner believes the spirits primarily have to be appeased. Rational thought and the scientific method are of secondary value. This is simply not going to hack it. Only the mainstream Judeo-Christian cosmological perspective can provide the citizenry with the mindset and attitude to create and sustain a viable society. There will be little economic progress in Haiti until voodooism is mostly eradicated. Should the nation’s inhabitants convert to Methodism, Judaism, Mormonism, or more traditional Catholic doctrines? I am leaving that alone. The main thing is just to get rid of the voodooism.
Thanks you Dr. Boudreaux from this Dr. George Mason University is blessed to have you, Thomas Sowell, and Walter Williams on its faculty. I wonder are other departments—among that next of neo-communism where you live—as well staffed by intelligent people? Somehow I doubt it. It’s too near the capitol.
The thesis is that wealthy nations can survive natural diasters better because we have better building codes, medical and relief services readily availaible, lots of folks with the means and equipment, logistics, roads, airports, harbors, maintainence and building crews.. yet we suffer too when nature takes an ugly turn.
Ya think? Really?
Like someone needed to prove this.
The good Professor takes a human tragedy beyond comprehension and uses this to crow about how wonderful life is in America and the wonders of capitalism and free markets. As if life in Haiti could possibly be compared to an economy such as ours.
I am all for, perhaps more than many here, in favor of capitalism and free markets. But that is a deep subject and requires conditions which do not exist in Haiti.
Yes it is better to live in an advanced developed nation, and yes it sucks to be Haitian. But these are not people who chose something other than we have here. There is no government in Haiti in the way that we understand it.
Haitians are not even the victims of some stupid ideology. They are simply people born into a failed state. It is not that they voted for the wrong party. They are not communists or any of those terrible things. That is not why they collapsed now.
Ideology in Haiti is…what can I feed my family today. Start with that and give me a better response Professor. If you have a plan better than platitudes say so, otherwise you are just in the way now.
Spindok
“Haitians are not even the victims of some stupid ideology. They are simply people born into a failed state.”
Cultural values underpin everything. Haiti is doomed to remain a “failed state.” Got to get rid of the voodooism. Nothing much can be done until then. At this point in time, we can only offer temporary assistance. Anything more than that is usually wasted. The Haitians are overall comparable to the wino begging for money. He gets a couple of bucks—and simply goes down the street to buy some more cheap wine.
This is really not the time to preach at the dead or to feel superior to them, for whatever reason. Be thankful you’re alive to post your blog, because none of us, rich or poor, came here with any guarantees.
See “A time to die”:
http://vulgarmorality.wordpress.com/2010/01/14/a-time-to-die/
2. David Thomson:
Pat Robertson is a bit goofy—but ironically he is half right about Haiti’s disaster having much to do with the practice of voodoo by perhaps the majority of its citizens. One can be an atheist and still recognize that this near diabolical madness is not conducive to building a vibrant economy. A voodoo practitioner believes the spirits primarily have to be appeased. Rational thought and the scientific method are of secondary value. This is simply not going to hack it. Only the mainstream Judeo-Christian cosmological perspective can provide the citizenry with the mindset and attitude to create and sustain a viable society. There will be little economic progress in Haiti until voodooism is mostly eradicated. Should the nation’s inhabitants convert to Methodism, Judaism, Mormonism, or more traditional Catholic doctrines? I am leaving that alone. The main thing is just to get rid of the voodooism.
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Over 80% of Haitians are christians most of those are Catholics. If only being a Jew or christian then how were societies in Asia and pre christian able to be sustained? Voodoo has nothing to do with the economy of Haiti. Why should the nation convert to a belief system that it already has?
Really should educate your self about a group people before posting how your god and religion is better then theirs when its the same. Voodoo in Haiti is a mix of Catholicism and African spiritual religions with Cat holism being a base and the voodoo a supplemental. Kinda like how Rastafarian is a mix of African and Jewish faiths.
I feel sorry for those people. To be a child there right now must hurt a lot. It is good America is sending in the Marines to help, plus supplies, and water. It is the least we can do.
I don’t know much about Haiti, other than they are very poor, and live in a failed state. It would be good if we could provide old boats to get men fishing, send building supplies to help rebuild on safe ground, and maybe build a water treatment plant to turn sea water into drinking water. If that is not a good idea, build a plant close to fresh water, and send a pipeline down to a new city.
Use the money we are spending to pay for work done by those who live there. Clearing fields, and planting something? We are going to help, I just hope it does not keep these people poor, and dumb.
Why are there so many children when they are so poor? Who taught them that was OK? The Pope? He better be helping.
“Why are there so many children when they are so poor? Who taught them that was OK?”
History teaches that. The human race will continue, even in the direst of circumstances. Ever heard of “go forth and multiply”?
By your evaluation, people in rural Arizona trailer parks and the hills of Appalachia shouldn’t be having kids. Well, they were having kids long before you or I ever arrived on the scene.
So get out of my bedroom.
Our hearts go out to the people of Haiti, a sad situation!
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However, Pat Robertson says it is all due to a pact made with the devil the people of Haiti made in the 1700′s
AND Danny Glover says it’s because the Copenhagen deal was not signed…
BTW..
Your God must be one freakin mess…totally disgusting.
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#8 Good ideas..and truly heartfelt
The US has spent ‘BILLIONS” in Haiti trying to get it on par with the rest of the world…BILLIONS>>>>:(
It seems that there is a bit of innumeracy in the article.
More than 200,000 people on earth die EACH DAY (from all causes). In a country of 100,000 million, a few thousand people will die EACH DAY.
A YEARLY change of a few hundred deaths is a pretty small difference.
After going to the various websites, I don’t see any emergency number for Haitians living in the United States to seek information on relatives in Haitie. I hope such a emergency number exists. If it doesn’t, I think it would be a good idea.
“Over 80% of Haitians are christians most of those are Catholics.”
The citizens of Haiti may be Catholics or other Christian denominations—but probably in name only. Everything begins and ends with cultural values. The Haitians are primarily fatalistic. They really don’t believe in helping themselves. Throwing themselves on the mercy of the spirits presumably will suffice.
This could be the number one thing hindering the Haitians: well meaning whites who refuse to face reality concerning their circumstances due to being inhibited by politically correctness. One is not supposed to clear-headedly discuss these yucky and awkward issues.
14. David Thomson:
“Over 80% of Haitians are christians most of those are Catholics.”
The citizens of Haiti may be Catholics or other Christian denominations—but probably in name only. Everything begins and ends with cultural values. The Haitians are primarily fatalistic. They really don’t believe in helping themselves. Throwing themselves on the mercy of the spirits presumably will suffice.
This could be the number one thing hindering the Haitians: well meaning whites who refuse to face reality concerning their circumstances due to being inhibited by politically correctness. One is not supposed to clear-headedly discuss these yucky and awkward issues.
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Maybe? No they are Catholics and christians. And its not in name only. But given you don’t know what your talking I’m not surprised you would continue to get things wrong and dig a deeper hole. Haitians aren’t fatalistic and they don’t throw them selves at the mercy of spirits. You are ignorant. But its ok for you as long as you can decry their culture and religious practices so you can feel superior in yours. You are about as credible as Pat and his “true story” about a deal with the devil.
Red Cross volunteers are amongst the agencies assisting the injured survivors of the Haiti earthquake and supporting hospitals struggling to cope with this emergency. Click here British Red Cross work in Haiti to watch Pete Garratt, Relief Operations Manager at the British Red Cross explain how the Red Cross works in this region, how it tackles the specific challenges of operating in Haiti and to support the Red Cross’ contribution to the DEC (Disasters and Emergency Committee) appeal
This is smarmy pap. Economic freedom comes from the ability to manufacture. This country has more people working for government than for the building and manufacturing trades combined. Our “Economic Freedom” is an illusion that is quickly being disclosed as such. This article is propaganda, nothing more.
“But its ok for you as long as you can decry their culture and religious practices so you can feel superior in yours.”
II am a theological modernist—and not an adherent to a particular denomination. The majority of Haiti’s citizens are marginally to functionally illiterate. This is the way it has been since the very beginning. I argue that the reasons are cultural. Are you unwittingly a racist who believes these people are inherently defective? You are actually placing yourself in an awkward situation. Trust me on this: you should perhaps even desperately wish to embrace my theory. It is the most politically correct one!
7. Phranc:
2. David Thomson: “Over 80% of Haitians are christians most of those are Catholics.
You have to dig a bit to figure this one out. There is clearly a cultural problem in Haiti when the result is such a deprived, confused society. The discrepancy is that most Christian cultures are independent, free, and successful – which Haiti is not. Wikipedia suggests that “Roman Catholicism was mixed into the religion to hide their “pagan” religion from their masters, who had forbidden them to practice it.” Yet, in all other new world slave societies, slaves were forbidden to study Christianity, and they only took to Christianity when slavery was ended by anti-slavery Christians. In Haiti, Christianity is layered onto Vodou syncretisticly to give Vodou the appearance of Catholicism. The CIA World Facts Book states that Vodou is practised by over 50% of the population. So, yes, Vodou is likely the dominant culture in Haiti. It sounds like we’re a bit wobbly on our facts here. Pat Robertson included, we are approaching some kind of understanding of this unique basket-case. While we work towards an answer, can we have a little more research, and less self-righteous indignation, please!
Lastnight watching Brooks, Shields & Lehrer, Brooks wrote a piece that he summarized with this astute observation – something like – we’ve done nothing on purpose to help China, but have lifted them out of poverty; we’ve done everything to help Haiti and poverty persists.
The three of them then went on to sing the praises of all of the great work & deeds we’ve done for Haiti over the decades.
Kind of the opposite of Billy Crystal’s “it doesn’t matter how you feel, it’s how you look”.
Phranc says in7 above “Kinda like how Rastafarian is a mix of African and Jewish faiths.”
Rasta isn’t a mix of African & Jewish faiths. It’s only a “feel-good” cult that enjoys smoking herb and eating vegetarian. After getting stoned, they sit in the bush telling stories from the Book of Proverbs. Who wouldn’t enjoy that life? They also have Obeah in Jamaica, which is like Voodoo. This makes in Jamaica some of the same problems like in Haiti. At least Christians learn to read and write and basic science. That’s the best explanation for Christians being succesful. Rastas, Obeahs and Voodoos learn none of this.
Phranc at # 15
” But given you don’t know what your talking I’m not surprised…”
No, you are the ignorant one, not David Thompson. He’s right on the mark.
Haitians’ religion is of a syncretic kind, an explosive and dysfunctional mix of Christianity and African animism (voodooism). They believe both in Jesus (also in a modified version, a Jesus who’s the actual creator of the world) and in “spirits,” mostly evil, in need to be pacified thru sacrifice of blood. And yes, Haitians are fatalistic, which simply means that only divinity/divinities can help them. All power is in their hands. You can only pray for their munificence or appease them or “trick” them.
Some easy homework for you, easy because it’s written in the form of a thriller, though it’s the result of scientific exploration: Wade Davis’ “The Serpent and the Arrow.”
As for the political context of Papa Doc’s days, nothing beats Graham Greene’s “The Comedians.”
So get to work, my friend.
“…nothing beats Graham Greene’s “The Comedians.”
I am currently viewing the movie based on this novel staring Richard Burton and Elizabeth made in 1967. Forty-three years later one immediately notices that Haiti has remained mostly the same. “Papa Doc” Duvalier is gone, but life remains essentially unchanged. I have not researched the economic statistics of these last four decades—but I doubt if the island’s economy has grown even by five percentage points during that time period.
WWII ended in 1945. Europe and Great Britain were devastated. And yet, by 1988 these countries were booming economically and a tourist had to deliberately search for any telltale signs of that horrible war. These somewhat secular nations are based on the cosmology provided by mainstream Judeo-Christian values. That makes all the difference. I strongly urge everyone to read the works of the agnostic, Rodney Stark. He clearly explains the mandatory importance of basing one’s society on viable cultural values.
New high resolution pictures on the destruction from the 2010 Haiti Earthquake have been posted from on the ground in Port-Au-Prince and Jacmel
http://www.jlaforums.com/album.php?search=haiti&search_cond=Pic%20Description&sort_order=&start=0
http://www.jlaforums.com/album.php?search=haiti&search_cond=Pic%20Title&sort_order=&start=0
David at # 23:
Please read the book. The movie is pretty good, and Burton does an excellent job, but it’s nothing like Greene’s sharp insights, his characters’ old-world weariness and cynicism, their inability to find anything meaningful in life.
Thanks.
“…and Elizabeth made in 1967.”
Whoops, that should have been, of course, Elizabeth Taylor. But correcting that minor mistake provides me with the opportunity to add this most important point: there is little sense to giving the typical Haitian any extra financial aid after this immediate crisis is over! That would be similar to giving the wino sleeping in the street a hundred dollar bill. He is simply going to spend it on more booze. It would be far better to send Baptist preachers, Mormon missionaries, or a bunch of Orthodox Jewish rabbis to the island. These Haitians must be converted away from their self-destructive quasi-Voodoo beliefs. That is goal number one. Anything else is of a secondary importance—and could even cause more harm than good.
This is smarmy pap. Economic freedom comes from the ability to manufacture. This country has more people working for government than for the building and manufacturing trades combined. Our “Economic Freedom” is an illusion that is quickly being disclosed as such. This article is propaganda, nothing more.
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Economic freedom comes from a stable government that is not corrupt and that protects private property rights. Haiti has never had this, and until they decide to change things themselves, and put in the effort to do so, they never will. No amount of money will ever fix things.
California has lots of buildings built to rigorous codes. The East Coast? Not so much. A 7.0 earthquake in Manhattan would likely kill dramatically more people than the Haiti quake.
26. David Thomson: “Haitians must be converted away from their self-destructive quasi-Voodoo beliefs. That is goal number one. Anything else is of a secondary importance—and could even cause more harm than good.”
I second this motion. Haiti with its barely-50% literacy rate is eons behind chaotic Jamaica with its 85% literacy rate. Jamaica with its higher literacy has a vigorous tourism industry, productive mining industry, food export industries, high quality Christian schools and colleges, a reggae music industry, and even an aviation industry of sorts. All because of its higher literacy and its pervasive Christian culture. Cuba, with 100% literacy, is even more advanced on the industrial front, even while dragging along the ball-and-chain of socialism. Almost zero Vodou in either place. It’s time to open our eyes and see that beliefs & cultures have a direct relationship to buildings falling down in earthquakes. We’ll never force Haitians to put steel in their concrete. They’ll have to want to do it, from the bottom of their hearts. Because God wants them to succeed.
When you think about it, that’s what everybody else does. Haiti is doomed until they come to believe that God’s will encompasses loving their neighbors, learning to read and write, and putting steel in their concrete. That alone will suffice as a fresh start.
the imbecile in the wh, of course, will use this to huff and puff himself up. he will chain usto this completely devestated failed nation and make his usual ignorant promises. i suppose he’ll want to kiss the crappy non existent government leadership of haiti fully on their lips if we’re lucky.
That was the old america if you think we have a free market, look into WTO, IMF and see if there supposed “free trade” is free.