Tragedy in Haiti

**Vladimir** · 01-14-2010, 14:23

So is this a thread about the earthquake in Haiti or people venting their own political rant?

Or another perspective: As terrible as the plague was, didn't it lead to an improvement of life in Europe?

**Aemilius Paulus** · 01-14-2010, 14:38

Originally Posted by Vladimir

Or another perspective: As terrible as the plague was, didn't it lead to an improvement of life in Europe?

Don't count on it

For one, Europe was pretty well off for its time, or at least not lacking the resources. Secondly, it was a once-in-a-several-millennia cataclysm. Anything less rarely spurs people into meaningful action. Even if Haitian wanted to, say, build better buildings, they lack the money and building materials to do so.

**al Roumi** · 01-14-2010, 16:10

Originally Posted by Vladimir

So is this a thread about the earthquake in Haiti or people venting their own political rant?

Or another perspective: As terrible as the plague was, didn't it lead to an improvement of life in Europe?

er, which plague and how exactly did a plague directly lead to "an improvement of life in europe"???

**Vladimir** · 01-14-2010, 16:56

Originally Posted by alh_p

er, which plague and how exactly did a plague directly lead to "an improvement of life in europe"???

This is the Backroom, not the monastery.

Edit: Being an enlightened despot means you never have to explain yourself.

**A Very Super Market** · 01-14-2010, 18:21

Less people, more demand, must appease those people with better rights.

But this is Haiti we're talking about. It isn't feudal. They can't grow anything.

**Scienter** · 01-14-2010, 18:25

Such a tragedy. Those people had very little and now they have nothing.

**Lemur** · 01-14-2010, 18:36

Haiti has one of the longest histories of straight-up sadness. They're some kind of record-holder. They're like Sri Lanka without the Grameen Bank.

There's a (somewhat) local group that was already setting up a clinic in Port-au-Prince, now they're trying to treble the capacity to help the victims. I guess I'll be talking to them later today, see what they need.

**Seamus Fermanagh** · 01-14-2010, 19:15

If there is a better example of a "failed state" than Haiti, I have yet to see it. Toussaint L'Overture wasn't just the founder, he was the high point. Sadder, in its own way than is the tragedy as a whole.