Aftershocks of History

Haiti: The Aftershocks of History by Laurent Dubois, 370 pages

"Poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere" is a description that, as Laurent Dubois notes, has at times seemed almost an official part of the name of the country of Haiti.  After the 2010 earthquake, there was a great deal of speculation as to why, with some religious fundamentalists claiming that an alleged deal with the devil was to blame, while some secular fundamentalists laid the blame on the Haitian people's failure to embrace some particular version of "progress".

Dubois gives a readable, interesting, colorful tour through the eventful history of Haiti.  Born out of the only successful slave revolt in history, the country has endured decades of international ostracism, republics, monarchies, military dictatorships, a twenty year American occupation, and both Papa and Baby Doc.  Dubois demonstrates that it is the common people of the countryside who have suffered most, and also how they and their culture have proven indestructible.  What he fails to do is give a compelling answer to the central question, or any meaningful hope that things will improve.