Separated at birth: the difference is the globalization socialization

 

Scientific American piece on new Jared Diamond book (with Harvard poli sci prof) called, Natural Experiments of History.

Naturally, the Haiti-Dominican Republic comparison is explored.

What's highlighted, according to the mag piece, is the difference is connectivity with the outside world over time:

When both the Haitians and Dominicans gained their independence in the 19th century, we see other comparative differences. Haitian slave revolts were violent, and Napoleon’s draconian intervention for restoring order resulted in the Haitians distrusting Europeans and eschewing future trade and investments, imports and exports, immigration and emigration. Haitian slaves had also developed their own Creole language spoken by no one else in the world, which further isolated Haiti from cultural and economic exchanges. Collectively, those barriers meant that Haiti did not benefit from factors that typically build capital, wealth and affluence and that might have led to prosperity under independence. In contrast, Dominican independence was relatively nonviolent; the country shuttled back and forth for decades between independence and control by Spain, which in 1865 decided that it no longer wanted the territory. Throughout this period the Dominicans spoke Spanish, developed exports, traded with European countries, and attracted European investors, as well as a diverse émigré population of Germans, Italians, Lebanese and Austrians, who helped to build a vibrant economy.

Finally, even when both countries succumbed to the power of evil dictators in the mid-20th century, Rafael Trujillo’s control of the Dominican Republic involved considerable economic growth because of his desire to enrich himself personally, but his policies led to a strong export industry and imported scientists and foresters to help preserve the forests for his profiteering timber holdings. Meanwhile Haiti’s dictator François “Papa Doc” Duvalier did none of this and instead further isolated the Haitians from the rest of the world.

Fits nicely with my view of things: Dictators with harsh agendas lead to disconnectedness; sticking with obscure languages does nobody any good; trade is an absolute good so long as it leads--sustainably--to more of the same.

Most importantly: isolation and disconnectedness in general only serves the purposes of the elite, hence globalization is overwhelming a creature/tool of the masses.