Why Haiti Is So Dangerous And The Dominican Republic Is Thriving

[@rudyyarbrough5122]

As an airline pilot, I used to fly the Caribbean and landed in both Haiti and DR. From the air the border between the two is so dramatic that you have to rub your eyes to make sure they are working. There is not a single tree in Haiti except around the hotels etc. The rest of the country has been stripped of all growth for firewood. The border is like a green wall on the DR side and a desert on the Haiti side. It looks like it had an A-bomb test site.

[@EIonMusk1]

Both are poor third worlds lol

[@les3449]

Exactly my comment from the 1990s! It is SO sad!

[@r.d.9399]

The consequences of people not using their brains on the Haitian side.

[@Slayer-33]

@@EIonMusk1 keep believing that 😂

[@bimfred]

@@hewitc You didn't watch the video either...it's from the meteorological conditions. There are plenty examples of arid climates on the lee-side of mountains.

[@LuisRodriguez-tm1ld]

I’m Dominican and to all the haters here, we’re obviously not Switzerland but we are still very well off compared to most developing nations. One thing we dont do is go backwards. We might not be “first world” but we’re definitely heading there in a few decades. Edit: 4.3k likes 👍 Awesome 😎 Good News: DRs doing fine Bad News: Haiti has gotten worse

[@mathisnotforthefaintofheart]

Well, Dominican Republic 1, USA 0 because the USA DID go backwards as of 2022.

[@ghostmanscores1666]

in 2020

[@heatherAnnwithE]

I am happy to hear things are good there. I love hearing from all people. We have so much to learn. I wish you great prosperity and happiness!

[@Yourmomlovesmethough]

That's only because unlike the Haitians you guys chose to roll over and bow down to your white Spanish overlords. To the points were even The descendants of slaves that were brought there say me no black. while the Haitians said f*** that fought off their France overlords and have been f***** by multiple BS sanctions an economic distress some of itself inflicted but most of it from France and the US ever since.

[@gerrylee1687]

Trust me I rather be in DR than USA with all this lgbt pedophile behavior

[@cambiteroswebmaster]

When you mentioned that Haiti received help from all over the world after the 2010 earthquake, you failed to mention the Dominican Republic. We used almost ALL of that year's budget only in help to Haiti, because we knew that if we didn't help them there, they would all come to our side.

[@myvenusheeler]

How do they keep the Haitians out??

[@lostcause1206]

..like an exgf 🤣

[@lostcause1206]

@@myvenusheeler ask trump

[@bathhatingcat8626]

He should mention what happened to the earthquake help money donated to the Clinton foundation. Haiti never received any of it.

[@toetz4491]

and if they all come to your side...the island will capsize

[@philosopher2king]

I'm Dominican and I was born very close to the Haitian border. My grandfather was a capataz in a batey (a sugar mill/processing plant) and he raised my father among Haitian workers and their families, to the point my father could speak Patois without an accent. He was both close enough to the Haitian community to love them dearly but not to romanticize them, or what I call real love. One of his favorite topics until he passed away (coincidentally the day before the Haiti earthquake in 2010), was that by having the only known successful slave revolution in the world, and the ensuing crushing French reparations that lasted for centuries and made sure that Haiti would stay crushed, Haitians became proud but distrustful of European influences. The revolution also didn't abolish slavery as much as it morphed it (both class exploitation and the horrible practice of the restavek persist until this day) The Haitian revolution just changed the color of the despots at the top. After Haitians invaded and were kicked out of the DR, there is a manifest destiny on their part that the "whole island is Haiti", and that is obviously something Dominicans hate. Us Dominicans are our own people, beautifully mixed and proud, with a different language, religion and culture. While the Dominican Republic, for all its historical trips and slips, embraced progress and democracy, the Haitian vanguard was killed off or silenced while the despots took turns. So yes, Trujillo was the worst dictator in Latin American history (a tall order) but he at least surrounded himself with intellectuals and progressives who created a civil society that, unintended by Trujillo, moved the country toward democracy after his death. Progress and education take generations to take root, and with every passing decade, the Dominican Republic increased its literacy rate, its commerce, trade agreements and most importantly, love for the environment. Haiti did not, as has continued to lag. This disparity breeds a lot of resentment in poor Haitians. I wish I had a magic pill for Haiti, there are many lovely people there, but the truth is that it will take generations to fix Haiti. Unfortunately, the only way I see Haiti improving is through foreign intervention. And with resources that have already been depleted by Haitian barons and their enablers in the US and Europe, there isn't much left to entice foreign powers to want to attempt it. The international community cannot expect the Dominican Republic to carry the corpse of a dying Haiti.

[@emmadelacruz2976]

Excellent imput! Thank yu for sharing

[@4lifejeph]

Yea, I'm not reading all that.

[@Sarahpaulkh]

@@4lifejeph then dont dummy

[@PregnantFreddyKrueger]

As a fellow Dominican, I understand that we have some sentiment towards reunification, but it's pretty much taboo at this point due to how divergent the two nations are as well as the history regarding that subject. Between the Haitian occupation and Rafael Trujillo's Parsley genocide, I don't think we'll ever truly reunify and help our Western neighbors prosper.

[@emmadelacruz2976]

reunify? we were never unified, we were occupied by the other side. And besides, what is our gain unifying rhe Island?@@PregnantFreddyKrueger

[@gj1234567899999]

Haiti isn’t deforested because of the French. A tree can grow quite tall in 30 years. It’s been 200 years since France left. Trees can grow back. The US was quite deforested because they used wood for ship building and wood for heating and even power trains before coal was common. Today the US has more forests than ever since we use less wood and don’t need newspapers. Haiti has no wood because the common people cut down trees for fuel. If they had a power plant they wouldn’t need to do that. However most Haitians have no reliable electricity or gas.

[@LonnieFord-q6l]

Tell them to leave the drugs alone and get to work building that power plant .

[@Guyver-971]

France never left Haïti, USA came after. Stop spreading lies

[@gj1234567899999]

@@Guyver-971you are saying France has been cutting trees on Haiti for the past 100 years? 😂 once again - Haiti isn’t deforested because of the French but because Haitians cut down the forest for fuel to cook. Something even Dominican Republican doesn’t need to do.

[@jesserai]

​@@Guyver-971 a little less " pack up an leave" a little more "smash baby skulls, rape the colonizers and genocide" oh then turn on your rebel leaders right after...

[@bretedwards2899]

@@Guyver-971 Truth hurts, the black culture in Haiti is a dumpster fire and has been for a long time. If you want Haiti to continue sucking, just lie about their culture and how it's not their fault and you will be PC and innocent people will continue to suffer.

[@eikoGoldstein]

Japan has been ravaged by earthquakes and tsunami's for centuries. Its major cities were levelled by American bombing during World War II. Other than timber and rain, it has few natural resources. And yet it is highly advanced today, among the very first rank of nations. So you are going to have to dig a bit deeper to find a satisfactory explanation for why Haiti has been in a downward spiral for over 100 years. To paraphrase Shakespeare, "the problem is not in our stars but in ourselves." A Haitian living in Miami is lucky indeed.

[@JustMe99999]

It's because Haiti is ruled by blacks. Let's be honest about what our eyes tell us all around the world.

[@Rubbernecker]

I agree. Either a people has the fortitude and wherewithal to thrive or they do not. Haitians do not.

[@Seinfeldfour]

Hit the nail on the head. And while you don’t explicitly state it I will. It’s all about culture. Many blacks or black “subculture” it what keeps people from getting ahead.

[@johnnyrebellion8672]

@@Seinfeldfour Blacks were given Rhodesia and turned it into Zimbabwe. Stop the cap. Everyone knows why certain places turn to sh!t.

[@Idkidki]

Except for the fact that you forgot that japan was directly reconstructed by the United States after the war and that japan was never colonized. Not even close to being similar

[@tongkatali6904]

I once watched a Jacques Cousteau episode on Haiti where they dove all around the island and there wasn't a fish in sight. The people killed everything by using cyanide to catch fish and wire fish traps without ropes or markers because someone else would raid them, no size limits or any conservation at all. They also cut down all their trees for charcoal leaving the land wide open to erosion, he had an aerial shot of all the mud running off the shore into the ocean smothering the reefs. Probably the most poorly governed country in the world

[@Mike-tb5gj]

Must be the fault of all those white supremacists!! Call it as it is....

[@swannoir7949]

Thanks to the Monroe Doctrine, and other factors, as Haiti is still heavily sanctioned, ostracized economically, and exploited still til this day. Haiti just finished paying their 'debt' to France almost ten years ago, but the Monroe Doctrine is still in effect. And their (Haiti)'last president was assassinated and there was a CIA connection. And this guy didn't mention how the King of Haiti (LeOverture), was killed in England, when he was invited to go there to meet with French leader, to discuss a 'peace treaty' after Haiti's victorious revolution. He was lured under false pretense of a peace treaty, where he was imprisoned, beaten and starved to death. And Haiti is still paying the price for fighting for their freedom and independence, as that was one ass-kicking that Europe has never forgotten or forgiven.

[@sasquatchrosefarts]

Jamaica has fish traps all over the reefs. And hardly any management. I wonder if this video forgot to discuss the most notable difference between Haiti and Dominican republic. And jamaica....... AK nation tv , a man named akintunde.... He knows why Haiti and Jamaica have those problems. .

[@casanovafrankenstein8538]

​@@sasquatchrosefartsso, why, kinda vague bro

[@RAsphalt]

@Casanova Frankenstein You know why he is being vague. I love it when people are coy with their racism, don't you? Former 90% slave nation who had been ostracized from trade to countries with any money, and forced to pay back a huge "debt" to a country which didn't need it. France should have paid a debt for all the labor they extracted. Maybe they still should. Generational wealth is a thing, and when most of the country's families started their wealth and education from literally nothing, its not fair to compare, even today. Mean-spiritedness does not equal honesty, and doesn't solve shit either.

[@pilgrimheart]

I realize that this is a channel that focuses specifically on geography, but one must recognize that it’s also the people that make a place what it is, not just geography. The stark contrast between Haiti and the Dominican Republic is a perfect illustration of this. Human beings are not just equally interchangeable units; they have different values, habits, strengths, and weaknesses. This is not only apparent on an individual basis, but also across cultures.

[@Keemthedream404]

The ignorance of this comment

[@jimmyohdez]

My family is Dominican and I visit DR every year. While I was in the Navy, I got a chance to go to Haiti and it was insane how poor everyone was. Like, they literally had nothing at all and it was so sad. In my head, I figured they couldn’t be much different than DR but unfortunately, it was worse than I could have ever imagined. Much love to my Haitian brothers.

[@jlinds3171]

DR is a Republic. Haiti is a broken socialist hellhole, like every socialist country ends up.

[@xiomaraortiz5158]

Thank you for your humanity. Nam-mythological-range-kyo

[@TheBookofrhymes]

Much love brother

[@noorgonzalez1076]

🙇🏻‍♀️👋🏼♥️👦🏽♥️🫂🕊🙏🏽👀

[@ivancar555]

At that point one can't help but wonder, why do they breed and bring in children into that inhumane level of poverty?

[@jackphillips3512]

Haiti's current deforestation is aggravated by the population making charcoal to sell as it is a primary fuel there. While it may have roots in Frances' resource export, the current situation is just another symptom of the desperation of the population.

[@johnnymonestime3742]

Haiti made some of its debt payments to France in timber aka large trees. Needless to say, trees were cut down to pay France.

[@alainprostbis]

@@johnnymonestime3742 that is BS. the debt was never repaid, and at one point it was passed onto the british, who may have nourrished the idea of recolonizing the island. but it was not to be paid to France, and it was erased 100 years ago. The treasure that Haiti had was sugar plantaiotns, wjhich would have settled the debt in a few years. but that also was destroyed by a highly inept system.

[@jackphillips3512]

@@johnnymonestime3742 Yes, I acknowledged that in my comment.. But that is not the cause of their current deforestation issues. It may be the root cause, because of continued poverty, but it is not like the trees stopped growing 100 years ago. They continue to use them and not allow them to get mature.

[@deadby15]

I wonder why the UN and the States didn’t give tons of solar panels/solar cookers. They got abundant sunlight at least, right? If they have electricity and the internet, motivated kids may be able to study and acquire knowledge that’s useful in the job market.

[@johnnymonestime3742]

@@deadby15 They were there to steal resources for instance Iridium. Do a search for iridium and what it's use for. The gangs are in control of the route and mine areas.

[@LBJurgens]

I personally know some “doctors without Borders,“ that went to Haiti to help out, and we’re promptly kidnapped, and one was tortured.

[@aishariel9924]

Yea, I wouldn’t even take 1mil to visit.

[@WillProwse]

Same here. Never ever.

[@rally_chronicles]

Leave them to their own

[@jb2736]

​​@@rally_chronicles Of course you would say that. Whenever the Haitian people would get a decent president, who care and want to use their resources to help the people, the usual suspects, powers that be would make sure he's assassinated., regime change, etc., we see you 👀

[@sayitasis8326]

@@jb2736 You mean all the voodoo gods? Because surely you aren’t implying a country as poor and corrupt as Haiti would be so important that these “powers that be” would actually have an interest in it? Because Haiti has no resources to offer the US/EU not even human capital

[@Mannyvz295]

Went to DR in May and totally loved it. Visited Puerto Plata and Samana. Can’t wait to visit again. Never been to Haiti.

[@James-hb8qu]

The right people can turn a desert into a paradise. The wrong people can turn a paradise into a desert. The former admit the mistakes they make along the way while the latter blame others for any mistakes they make.

[@TheShaunAce]

Sounds like the country I live in!!!!! It's never their fault

[@JohnLittle-jc5bo]

Remember to help yourself first if your helpless and useless you can't even help yourself let alone anyone else

[@jerrypeukert5732]

100% truth

[@kingdoc3262]

Harsh truth

[@laurencefox5884]

And history makes the difference...we are all victims to our past. Abusive parents make damage children.

[@RiverRev]

Have you been to Haiti? I ask because when you said Haiti is drier than the DR I had to smirk. It probably does get less rain, but it's drier in the same way that a sponge is drier than a wash cloth. In my lengthy stays, the island gets daily rain. There is a season of less rain, but experientially, it gets plenty wet to be productive. What has done Haiti in is a lack of good agricultural practice. Soil never rests. Crop rotation is never practiced, and erosion from the denuded landscape on limited topsoil has robbed the nation of a future.

[@jonnypena7651]

He maybe say drier due the lack of rivers due deforestation, greetings from Dominican.

[@raylivaldez5564]

It's actually dryer, the central mountain range acts as curtain for rain so even parts of the dr are dryer, that's why the Cibao región Is the most productive while the south Is dry AND most of Haiti since most of Haiti Is south of the range only getting mucho of it's moist from evaporación of the longest Rover in the ialand, artibonite, which starts on the dr mountains AND gets enough Water same story with the souths biggest Rover, it starts on the central range so get plenty of Water even if the are itself isn't as wet

[@bastianx8772]

@@raylivaldez5564 how did you know so much information about Haiti

[@raylivaldez5564]

@@bastianx8772 i live in the island, I'm Dominican, now we are facing general droughts but some other parts face heavy rain AND flooding

[@qolspony]

Thank you for this clarification. This why I spend more time reading the comments than listening to the video. Oftentimes, it is the comments that has the facts!

[@cbpd89]

Wow! I've never been to Haiti, but visited the Dominican Republic briefly. I have nothing but kind things to say about all the people I met and interacted with, everyone was so friendly and kind.

[@Dmullins81]

... And this is not to take away from what I'm certainly sure were GENUINELY acts of kindness..... Buttttttttttt... We need your continued business, bother.. We've better be treating YOU nice!!!-😂

[@thurstonpowell8687]

spoken like a true journalist, lying as if tomorrow will never exist

[@chipichapiful]

That's good

[@cbpd89]

@@Dmullins81 I had a woman at a museum who chased us down the street because my son accidentally dropped his cruise card in the museum bathroom and she returned it to us. I don't care what her motivations were, she absolutely saved us from a ruined day!

[@DrWhom]

Tourism is their life blood. The girl that cleaned your hotel room was Haitian - I hope you left a tip. Those friendly DR people will also tell you not to walk down this street or that, even in broad daylight. There is an armed guard across the street from every ATM, and private properties are patrolled by another poor Haitian with a gun. I agree, they do go out of their way to make the tourists feel welcome and safe, but you can sense the effort that goes into keeping it all together.

[@someguy1865]

Watching this from Districto Nacional in Dominican Republic, my heart goes out to my brothers and sisters on the West of our border. I pray for the stabilization of Haiti and the people's living conditions🙏

[@bastianx8772]

Stfu we don't need your sympathy,keep them for yourselves

[@kittybitts567]

Amen.

[@mutteringmale]

I'd like to see how much wonderment, love and compassion yawl would have if 4 million of them came over the border and demanded everything you worked for.

[@Dld1985]

I visited the Dominican Republic about 25 years ago and loved it. People were friendly and the area I was at was very nice. A friend of mine did some missionary type work to help the Haitians after the earthquake. He was on the island when it hit in 2010. One of the things he did for a local church was purchase a used Jeep in the USA for $7,000 and shipped to Haiti. Once it arrived at the Haitian port they refused to release it to the church until another large sun of money was paid to corrupt port workers. He ended up paying it but was upset because he had planned to send over another Jeep after a few months but due to the corruption at the Haitian port he couldn’t afford too. So the people most out on much needed transportation. Pretty sad that there is so much corruption in the world.

[@MsBlackIntrovert]

Where there is poverty there will be crime

[@Miaonroblox]

That’s true so much corruption..come lord Jesus

[@ingGS]

My experience in the Dom. Republic was quite negative. The problems started right at the airport when a policeman took my passport and wanted money to give it back. Then I went to the resorts, they were lovely, but every trip to towns and cities was unnerving and stressful, we saw robberies and street fights.

[@mshaitiansensation]

@@ingGS thank you for your honesty. I came here to make a similar comment based on what friends who visited & family who lived there for a brief period of time shared with me.

[@ekoflow77]

@ingGS You saw robberies and street fights everywhere you went? Hmmm…your comment smells fishy. I can understand you might of experienced some sort of violence and crime but to say you saw it everywhere you went is you just being dishonest. Nice try though.

[@JMRubino]

I was an employer in South Florida for 26 years. Hundreds of Haitian people worked at my company. They all were able to escape the tyrannical regimes of Papa Doc & Baby Doc, who combined to ruin what was once a wonderful country. My Haitian friends had much in common with the Italians & the Irish who migrated to the USA 100 years earlier. Very family orientated and very enterprising. Such a shame that their homeland has been destroyed

[@WoodT92]

Haiti needs law. There is no run to run the country to scare the kidnappers and gangs away. They need a dictator

[@DoracellWilliams]

The Duvalier years were the most stable in the history of Haiti 🇭🇹. Twenty-nine years of peace under one government.

[@WoodT92]

@@DoracellWilliams everyone has their opinions about that era. Some ppl liked Duvalier and some ppl hated him but the fact there was stability says something.

[@shells500tutubo]

@@DoracellWilliams That is like saying Stalin stabilized the Soviet Union. Papa Doc was a murderous thug who stole millions of dollars and put it into Swiss bank accounts and had his undercover government death squad, the Tonton Macoute (Haitian Creole: Tonton Makout), indiscriminately torturing or killing Duvalier's opponents; the Tonton Macoute was thought to be so pervasive that Haitians became highly fearful of expressing any form of dissent, even in private. He was evil personified, even though he was a real physician, graduating from the University Of Michigan Medical School. It was not peace that Haiti had, but oppression and suppression.

[@woodcrest4655]

It wasn’t Papa Doc & Baby Doc that ruined Haiti. It was the betrayal of Dessalines by the mulatto class back in the 1800s. Haiti hasn’t been the same since

[@les3449]

This was a very good video covering the two nations' disparity. I was in the U.S. Coast Guard in the 1990s and for 3 years my ship participated in repatriating thousands of Haitians who were seeking asylum in the U.S. Their country was collapsing for the umptenth time. It was, in a nutshell, a terrible situation for those people. I recall once when we were leaving a port call in Porta Plata, Dominican Republic (Dom Rep) and going back into the Windward Pass that I was on deck as we went from Dom Rep to Haiti. I noticed a VERY definite demarcation line between the two countries. There was lush forest on the Dom Rep side and literally nothing green on the Haitian side. Incredible to say the least. BTW, I have a BA in Geography and appreciate your channel.

[@steveperreira5850]

Astonishing… I put it downti culture? What else could it be?

[@les3449]

@@steveperreira5850 absolutely.

[@Altamau]

It called working for your country. It’s called holding government accountable and working the land. This country has always been like this no matter how much help is sent over or given. Even missionaries have given up. End to get rid of that voodoo.

[@les3449]

@@Altamau I know it has always been that way. Working the land? If you deforest a region there is NOTHING to hold the top soil in place, especially in the tropics where constant rain washes it away. Therefore, nothing will grow.

[@OBsurdityTV]

@@steveperreira5850 politics easily

[@bertnijhof5413]

I'm Dutch and after my retirement on 1-1-11 I moved with my Dominican wife to her country. We live in the 2nd city Santiago de los Caballeros (1 million inhabitants). I can find here all the facilities, I had in Europe and in ~1 hour by Jeepeta we can be at the beach. The only thing we miss is our family, her sons and sisters live in Belgium and my family in the Netherlands. I like it here, partly because my wife's cooking is a creative mix of European and Dominican food. I feel safe, because all windows and doors of the house have metal bars, just like in a jail, but now intended to keep the criminals out. Like in all big cities, you have to avoid certain areas at night. But you can go downtown to a restaurant or bar or you can go to a local bar or carwash for a Presidente (beer) and for dancing the bachata.

[@Arieldny]

Really Amazing ! It is a great place to live.

[@raymilbelmont2521]

I love Santiago de los Caballeros mister, as a Dominican I'm flattered that you enjoy living here.

[@maximoalmonte773]

Nice to hear that. I'm from Puerto plata. Good luck to u u and u family. U are welcome. ENJOY AND DONT GET IN TO ANY TROUBLE.

[@ramonejimenez4481]

Cool, my mother's Dutch and my fathers Dominican. We should have a presidente and some stropp waffle

[@lastfirst3300]

That is my dream to be retired, buuut I am still young

[@ThomasTalbotMD]

Haiti was shunned by all countries after "winnning independence" because it was the result of a brutal genocide that murdered nearly every single French man, woman and child on the territory. Geographic/historical itsms you mentioned are worth less than 20% of Haiti's problems - Haiti's problem is a culture of graft, corruption and ignorance. The difference between these two countries is one of culture.

[@chacesimpson2856]

Yes let's ignore all the evils the French did on that island ,you might wanna look up how brutal the French were to the African slaves ..i hate when whites sit on a high pedestal like their ancestors were innocent angels ...

[@fabolousjada5070]

And enslaved Dominicans for 22 years right after

[@Sadelicious1]

So, if the Haitians peacefully asked for independence, do you believe they would’ve gotten it?

[@PregnantFreddyKrueger]

​@@Sadelicious1it's not so much whether they'd peacefully ask. It's the fact that the Haitians emulated the French Revolution and used similar tactics to commit genocide. Followed by Haiti briefly establishing the Haitian empire during the occupation of Santo Domingo (what would later be known as the Dominican Republic) in the hopes of colonizing Caribbean Islands as well as the mainlands in the Americas.

[@MuantanamoMobile]

Do you know what the word genoc. means? Under international law, the right to -fight- for -independence- , including the -use-of-force-in-self-defense- and against -enslavement- , is recognized.

[@herbertrodriguez9236]

I'm Puerto Rican and my Ist time visiting the Dominican Republic reminded me so much of my Borinquen that I would consider moving there permanately

[@dantedante839]

What I really hate is that in islands new architecture is just HORRENDOUs and you can't enjoy having a walk like in Cuba or some Colombias cities.

[@keithmyers1454]

PLEASE TAKE AOC WITH YOU, SHE NEEDS TO GO BACK HOME

[@yleanafabian8773]

Âqui lo esperamos hermano!

[@wintyforever]

Our doors are always open to our siblings in PR

[@jeffGordon852]

As a haitian, thanmk you for this video! Compliments to the Dominican Republic on their success and wish them to grow more prosperous. I wish Haiti Cherie good luck to become a strong and prosperous state, and I do my share as a volunteer in tech education.

[@XloMotion]

As a Dominican I wish nothing but the best for Haiti and it's people. We can both be successful and be better neighbors

[@bretedwards2899]

Truth hurts, the black culture in Haiti is a dumpster fire and has been for a long time. If you want Haiti to continue sucking, just lie about their culture and how it's not their fault and you will be PC and innocent people will continue to suffer.

[@junomoon6530]

Haiti is black, while Dominican Republic is far more white and mestizo.

[@dougieranger]

@@junomoon6530 What’s your point?

[@TheJohnathan410]

That's y hatti was treated the way they are just like black people in America and Palestinians in "Isreal "

[@gloriadeipatre]

My father was an Optometrist who sold his private practice when he was on the younger side of life. He went to work for an Opthamologist and did refractions (eye examinations) for this Opthamologist. The Opthamologist went to Haiti every year and took his staff with him. He performed free eye surgery to the Haitian people and the rest of the staff performed their normal duties for free as well. Even back then, 1970's-1990's I remember hearing how poor these people were. This Doctor, was the real deal. He was a kind and generous man, incredibly smart and talented. He followed and acted on his beliefs to help these poor people stricken in poverty.

[@Lauren-vd4qe]

acted on his beliefs? did he tell them about Jesus/christianity? those pple are stricken bc they engage in voodoo, witchcraft, which is directly AGAINST Gods word.

[@zeetty]

That's nice.

[@johncgibson4720]

It is not safe for any doctor to go there. Don't recommend any of these activities.

[@Tacoking8891]

I am an American who lived in the Dominican Republic for two years. I lived in the west side of Santo Domingo, Najayo (just outside San Cristóbal), Nisau, and San Juan. I met so many amazing Haitians and Dominicans. The DR is safe relative to Haiti, but it is far from safe relative to what a stereotypical American perceives as safe (there are certainly many Americans who might feel safer in the DR than their current situations or homes). It is a bit like living in Detroit. There are awesome areas but cross the wrong street and things change quickly. Rural areas are generally much safer but you would be shocked by what still goes on, especially at night or outside of town. Overall, I absolutely loved the DR and it’s people. Like every country/culture, there are bad apples, but overall they are a great people. I should also mention I never went anywhere any resort towns, my time was entirely spent in the south west.

[@jasonallen3678]

Best comment, because we both know what's going on over there.

[@pgacv2]

Missionary?

[@desuordie4856]

Yeah this is common in almost all of the larger caribbean nations with a large population (relative to the caribbean). Some are the deep end like Jamaica that's heavily influenced by their financial mismanagement in the 90s and political tomfoolery since independence. Then other countries just have portions of the population being unable to keep up with the wealth of the middle class. So they turn to crime.

[@Tacoking8891]

@@pgacv2 yep! I could go just about anywhere I wanted. The culture there is very protective of missionaries. Dang near everyone would open up their doors to us. Now that I am not, there are many areas I used to visit I would not be able to do so safety now.

[@lakeembryant4290]

you arent American just as I cant be Dominican see how that works

[@chxlia]

I am 13 years old and currently living in Haiti. I've always asked my parents this question and even they don't really know why I like your video and how you explained it so perfectly, thank you! edit: so saw some ppl asked me how i learned english and tbh i just like picked it up😭i also use to travel to the state since i have family there and yes im still living in haiti and im pretty sure some of yall have seen what is happening now but dw im still safe from it and im okay

[@rnparimore09]

Be safe, hope you and your family are doing well

[@dianabenobo]

There is a way to prosperity for all. If we care for them, the children and the poets will lead us there.

[@scooterbob4432]

Hoping that someone can help you go to college and earn a degree someday. You seem to be a smart young boy. Good luck and stay safe there.

[@dlowe4481]

Haiti must not be too bad if you are 13 and leaving messages on KZbin.

[@presz03]

@@scooterbob4432 Actually if he is already here commenting he is already in a good path I recommend himto use his internet access to research and learn by himself instead of waiting for someone to help him go to college

[@magnvss]

Yeah, you forgot to mention a teeny tiny apparently unimportant detail like the genocide of whites (the “Haitian Genocide”) ordered by Dessalines against the Europeans of Haiti, what would taint Haiti’s relationship with the whole West and would even influence how some people of the USA would see with suspicion and fear the freedom of slaves in the south of America. Regardless of the atrocities committed against black slaves, the killing of whites not only emptied the island of people who covered many professions important for the function of the country but instilled fear on potential people with certain knowledge to venture on such “pleasant environment”. So as a consequence of both internal and external factors, the island was destined to ruin. And by the way, even before the Haitian earthquake the country was already utterly corrupt and miserable as anyone old enough can attest; the catastrophe only deepened what would have been a disaster for any normal country. On a country as such, without any real local structure to facilitate any prospect of growth, any help, any money ends up in corruption any intervention on the country would be seen a re-colonization or whatever ideologically charged label. So Haiti is a patient in a coma who also has no legs, so the prospect is hard.

[@lynn9111]

It sounds like there's a lot he forgot to mention.

[@Vistacraft82]

He covered 80% of the discrepancies, that's good enough...

[@magnvss]

@@Vistacraft82 No, no it isn't when the one you forgot is fundamental to understand why the country was excluded and isolated from the concert of nations (at least the one that could help its development more) for so long, etc.

[@mikey5396]

@@lynn9111 Oh he didn't forget. He deliberately glossed over those details. It's common for these social media "historians". They hide the facts that don't agree with their particular world view.

[@stefanx5470]

@@lynn9111 He didn't forget because he didn't even know; he didn't even know because he didn't even bothering doing a thorough research. He really just googled for major events that happened to Haiti and then slapped together a video with the grade 'C' quality of a middle school geography/history report.

[@raysjb]

One of the problems Haiti faced after independence was that the rulers tried to reinstate the French sugar plantation system, rather than diversifying their economy, and even tried to impose that system on the Dominican area when they conquered it, which is one of many reasons the Dominicans rebelled to kick the hated Haitians out.

[@wintyforever]

Yes, they also prohibited Dominicans from speaking Spanish and practicing Catholicism. So that basically guaranteed our fight for independence.

[@truthhurts5980]

Like someone already mentioned, Haitians prohibited the use of the Spanish language and catholicism among during the years of domination over the DR. But not only that, they also closed the only university (the Primada de America, first one of the Americas), taxed the inhabitants like crazy (so they can pay for the reparations to France) and encouraged the local white Dominicans to leave to other islands by creating a series of anti-white laws. As a result and by the end of the Haitian domination, the soon to become Dominican Republic had lost two thirds of its original population. It caused a deep brain drain in our society that took us centuries to recover... Years before the Haitian domination, Haitians also committed a series of massacres among the civilian Dominicans known as the Beheadings. The best known are the ones of Moca and Santiago. The resentment towards Haiti and anti-haitianismo in the DR didn't come from the thin air as you can see.

[@wintyforever]

@@truthhurts5980 thank you! We can never forget!

[@raysjb]

@@truthhurts5980 Very interesting. All things most people know nothing about and make claims like that Dominicans hate the Haitians out of anti-black racism, without knowing the history and Haitian repression of Dominicans, nor that the reason Europeans blockaded Haiti and demanded reparations was because the Haitians massacred all whites--men, women, and children.

[@bastianx8772]

@@wintyforever isn't christianism a part of the colonial barbarism that wiped out the natives??

[@MrMensa141]

The most amazing differences about these two countries is viewing them on google maps. You can actually see the border between these countries as Haiti appears to have been hit with locust while the Dominican Republic is largely green and lush with vegetation.

[@dlowe4481]

Spot on. We flew over the island on our way back to the states and you could see the line where there was green lush trees and then boom a straight like of black nothing. It was incredible

[@noeyes6151]

😂

[@michaelpcoffee]

Ironic; people are the locusts.

[@laschus]

Wow, I just did that and that's freaky. It's almost like seeing the view from satellites at night over the Korean peninsula. You can literally pinpoint every square mile of North Korea from the dark void, with the exception of a small pin point coming from Pyongyang.

[@kingdoc3262]

Absolutely

[@debbied9997]

About 15 years ago, my family and I went on a Caribbean cruise with Royal Caribbean, and we stopped in Haiti at Labadee, its private island stop. Even then, we could see armed men in the hills overlooking the private beach, and one of the first aide people there (I stepped on a sea urging) said that only the week before, his daughter was kidnapped while walking home from school with friends and he had to pay to get her back. He said that happens a lot because the gangs know which families are working and getting ok money and they kidnap those family members for a nominal fee. Crazy stuff.

[@jevinday]

That's nuts! I can't believe a cruise ship goes anywhere near Haiti, except when it's on the same island lol

[@S.a.m.p.i]

Maybe it was security. Because 15 years ago there were the UN bleu helmet and the north is safe. We're not talking about the slums of Port-au-Prince. And there's no mountains outside of Labadie, the mountains areas are in the Royal Caribbean company property. And the village that is near is not at a mountain but at the littoral

[@ramencurry6672]

@@jevinday Haiti is relatively stable despite the bad press. I’ve been there and my uncle has visited many times for missionary work. Of course it can be dangerous but overall it’s not bad.

[@jevinday]

@@ramencurry6672 well that's good to hear! You can never trust the media with that kind of stuff. Especially with other countries, American media always has some kind of narrative they're trying to spin

[@tylerking4616]

Why would Royal Cara bean risk going near that situation? RC is NOT prepared to defend its guests. I predict a cruise ship will be targeted in the near future.

[@topdog6585]

The Dominican Republic is wonderful. I was blessed with the opportunity to work there and I really miss it. Wonderful people, food, and beauty.

[@gravityfallscanada]

I loved Haiti too, it's only the capital that is a mess right now. It's a shame he didn't take the time to point that out. Very negative video...

[@xfirehurican]

Ditto! (See my comments)

[@Superbatmanbro]

I definitely want to go back to my birthplace and see the countryside of Haiti 🇭🇹 and also visit the DR as well try and learn Haitian Creole my birth language, if I wasn’t adopted back in 2004 by nice family still living in the United States

[@karolinawiatrowska3890]

Dominican Republic is wonderful and people there are super welcoming.

[@phillydavys3636]

Thank you. 🌺🇩🇴🌺

[@TheIronDuke9]

As long as you don't wander too far away from the safety of the resort you're staying at

[@iamcase1245]

They act super welcoming so long as you're white and have dollars or euros. Leave the resort and walk down a city 9pm. See how welcoming they are to you.

[@alyasmohamed4087]

Are u trying to ignore haiti? I could sense it from you...👃

[@cuchara_en_sopa]

@@TheIronDuke9 tell me you never been here without doing it, as a Dominican all i can say is that people here are mostly chill, with the exception of some places.

[@Pack.Leader]

Very interesting. Rampant corruption is a very large part of Haiti's problem, too. The people there are impoverished even though we sent them so much money and food/water aid after that horrible earthquake. The supplies never were distributed to the masses.

[@mattm7798]

Yeah, it draws comparison to Mexico and the US. The US political system is definitely not squeaky clean but looks like a choir boy compared to the rampant corruption that infects many gov't agencies in Mexico.

[@mcentepede]

Yeah I saw a video on Mexico and it was bad. The guy had to pay $300 bucks to the gang cartel to drive thru a checkpoint. This reminds me of when I was in Africa, we had to pay the soldier some money to pass thru. After he got a good amount (because of me) he let us thru right away without even checking if I was armed or smuggling something. They want the money.

[@mcentepede]

Definitely. Only until recently did I discover how bad it is. I survived Africa and its corruption but this time I better avoid

[@internetposta7389]

@@mattm7798 Largely this is driven by the overall culture of the people.

[@citizencoy4393]

@@internetposta7389 Yea the culture of those inferior ppl that lean on the failing system of colonization. Can see it all around the globe but u ppl zoom in on these blk nations with ignorance but failing non blk nations u have compassion and understanding. You ppl are a poison to the Earth and will destroy it all to force your lies.

[@RiverRev]

So, there's no possibility that Jefferson's unwillingness to recognize Haiti was because of his close relationship with France - the country that Haiti revolted against? I mean, if you're negotiating the Louisiana Purchase, it could be an influence on diplomacy decisions. Also, why would anyone recognize a government that can't really govern. Haiti is the second oldest democracy in the western hemisphere, but has only had 2 peaceful transitions of its government in 200+ years. What is there to recognize?

[@sonnymartinez3051]

Exactly! Same way that Haiti debt incurred to France was a result really of the Franco mulato who ruled Haiti more as inheritors to the most profitability agricultural-slave colony of the time. Their loyalty was not to the masses of black Haitians, but to themselves and their French forefathers.

[@roberttaylor4605]

US Presidents from Southern states were afraid to acknowledge Haitian independence because they were afraid of their own slaves. John Quincy Adams from the North did recognize Haiti.

[@hobosapiens404]

Here’s something to recognize: Thomas Jefferson was a slaveowner who raped his slave Sally Hemings (this fact has been corroborated by DNA analysis).

[@bastianx8772]

​@@sonnymartinez3051 that's is where all stated

[@luisacleaves9592]

Good point

[@takfam07]

After all the excuses have been analyzed, the rock-bottom truth is that Haiti has had every opportunity over the past 150 years or more, to turn itself into a prosperous First World country. Many others nations have done so in a way shorter amount of time, with far less natural resources and foreign aid than Haiti has. It is Haitian culture---the values and behaviors of the majority of its population---that keep it in its abysmal state. It is not the fault of any one person, but everyone is caught in the downward spiral. I've known a few highly respectable and self-made, successful Haitian Americans. But they by no means represent the majority of people who remain in Haiti.

[@doctorcrafts]

Sigh

[@landonshores7004]

Average IQ of Haiti is 67, average IQ of Dominican Republic is 82. This is the primary reason for the disparity between the two countries. Intelligence allows countries to adapt and overcome, regardless of circumstances. I’m sure Haiti has faced a lot of adversity, but so has DR. Haitians have no one to blame but themselves for the horrible conditions they’re living in.

[@aliklc1970]

Black people 🤔

[@DaDandyman]

an IQ of 67 would mean that haitians are intellectually on the level of third graders. that would mean that they're incapable of performing basic tasks necessary to surviving independently on the most basic level. it's impossible to have a society at all, even one deeply impoverished as haiti's, with an iq of 67 as the average. you have been lied to.

[@AlphaBiker54]

I visited DR twice on vacation. The last time was this past April. I have been to many of the Caribbean islands, DR is my second favorite after Jamaica.

[@claritzagartan7357]

Thank you ❤ you're always welcome in DR 🇩🇴💙❤️💙❤️🙏

[@lous.1548]

You mean you visited your hôtel ... NOT Dr

[@alexandra330]

Jamaica a good country 👏🏼

[@FRoques]

I'd recommend you to visit Puerto Plata or Samaná next time you come, they have the best beaches in the whole island

[@AlphaBiker54]

@@FRoques We visited La Romana, the first time, and Punta Cana last year. If I go again, I'll check into those towns.

[@toddsands6000]

I feel for the country of Haiti. I was there for over 2 months working as a volunteer. The volunteering literally saps all of the good deeds you want to do over there. There are good people over there like any good people you will find in any country. It's just too much to do and no real progress gets done. There have been at least two UN commanders I remembered that committed suicide while on the island trying to be in charge on making things happen. The plight in Haiti affects people mentally that cannot be described by even so-called professionals. I can never go back to the island of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic as well).

[@prmath]

Maybe they should Stop worshiping witches and things like that⁉️ You THINK…..🤷🏼‍♂️

[@salaialexander7022]

@PRMath331 it's genetic, the problem that is.

[@xuansu9036]

the long suffering had basically changed people's mindset toward social order and their role in the society. At this point, it would really take a thorough revolution that hard reset people's expectation of themselves and everything around them before things could improve.

[@prmath]

@@xuansu9036 things There will Never change……not in our lifetime

[@thestarseeker8196]

First two replies are subhuman quality.

[@davidwilson2394]

The people in Dominican Republic are the nicest people I have ever met. Unbelievable nice. 😃👍

[@lalcantara18]

Thank you!! We're friendly people is in our DNA.. Hello from New jersey 🖐

[@bastianx8772]

@@lalcantara18 I did nt know european were friendly people

[@Girlwithapurse03]

Wow I’m Dominican Thank you for doing this video, I learned something new and also you are right… we knew there was a big difference but this video explains it well.

[@amparoalvarez9001]

The first university in the western hemisphere was built in the Dominican Republic along with others in Colombia, Peru, Mexico....almost 100 years before any other was built in the Americas...Culturally and academically they were more apt and ready to succeed...Not so in Haiti...What did the French built there? They made the mistake of sending way too many slaves surpassing their own people...French planters forced African slaves to produce sugar, coffee, and other cash crops for the global market. At the end the slaves had to rebel against their oppressors...They were more numerous...So that brought France problems...

[@MsMRkv]

That's the difference between a colony and a province. Spain did actually try to assimilate the people into their culture, unlike the French that exploited the people and the land.

[@bretedwards2899]

Truth hurts, the black culture in Haiti is a dumpster fire and has been for a long time. If you want Haiti to continue sucking, just lie about their culture and how it's not their fault and you will be PC and innocent people will continue to suffer.

[@bastianx8772]

Different tactics,still the same colonialists

[@Inkling777]

Thanks for an excellent overview. I would add one more factor based on what I saw spending a summer on a Caribbean island. Every country has people born who'd make capable leaders. In healthy countries, those people remain and help it grown. That's the Dominican Republic. In unhealthy countries, those people become frustrated and leave for a country offering more opportunity. That's Haiti.

[@wintyforever]

Good observation

[@BungZero]

Technically no, but yes, in the Dominican Republic there is a vicious circle of progress because there are people who help with progress, something that there is not in Haiti, someone like Nayib Buke may appear

[@PastorJohnsPerspective]

My wife and I visited Hispanola in July 2009. We spent a week in Port-au-Prince and then a week in Santo Domingo. We took a bus between the two, andas others have said, the demarcation line is striking. This was a few months before the 2010 earthquake, and already, the Haitians were in a terrible state. My heart ached for them, but I never want to go back to that place.

[@djstackademikz]

People always go to port au prince because it’s the most popular city but that is in fact where all the crime and most of the poverty is. It’s just the only city that everyone talks about and that gets media attention. Other cities like Jacmel Cap Haitien and others are fine they do not tolerate all the gang stuff you see and have nice hotels rich ppl stay at. Labadee is a great tourist attraction that stays safe year round it’s like paradise there. Idk why you would stay in port au prince unless you are staying in the rich areas where all the billionaires stay in gated communities with their lambos n ferrari n mango trees you can get Airbnb there but I wouldn’t even go to pap ✌🏾

[@Bailemos888]

People shouldn't live like that😢

[@Bailemos888]

​@@djstackademikzwhy is it so difficult to control? Wishing it be resolved😢

[@djstackademikz]

@@Bailemos888 over 100 years of political instability and foreign influences

[@Messiah-vi9mk]

Who told you to go to port au prince!! That's the center of all the chaos.

[@blusnuby2]

It would be interesting for you to do a study on how the BORDER between these two nations is managed.

[@mcboat3467]

Because one nation is black that's why it's poor 😂😂

[@jjmcg9184]

There was a video examinig that. They showed how folks from haiti would wait at the border every Sunday & DR border agents would let them in to shop.

[@balancedglenn]

I had the same thought, including whether there is a fence or just checkpoints where the roads cross the border, etc.

[@K1ngKrunch]

@@balancedglenn there is a wall being built and for you to get from the border to Santiago, there are about 21 checkpoints.

[@blusnuby2]

@@jjmcg9184 Thanks. I`ll search it out. HUGE cigar industry in the DR, too....

[@goatsandroses4258]

I was shocked about the rainfall. I looked it up and while New Orleans, La. (another sugar-producing region) gets about 67" of rain a year, the wettest areas of Haiti get only 47 and other areas are even drier. That being said, though, it seems to certainly be a variety of factors that has caused Haiti's issues, not just climate. Political corruption and instability has brought down many nations.

[@salaialexander7022]

It's IQ

[@abark]

Only 47? That's quite a good amount of rainfall.

[@mr2981]

@@abark Exactly. On what planet is 47" of annual rainfall not enough?

[@johnswanson3741]

@@mr2981 Only on the dysfunctional planet of haiti

[@kjk7611]

And all the world's nation's plotting against half a small island.

[@roger55es]

I live in Dominican Republic for 20 years The culture and carácter of Dominicanas has to be the most friendly people in the world We have a respectfully family ties which makes this union with families. Its very interesting for a country which is probally the most safe to invest in due to the legal system . When you see the likes of the biggest hotel chains here and still increasing their footprint in tourism . The big advantages are labour costs for employers. Comparing to Spain the cost of living is relatively low . Downside is traffic congestion in capital Santo Domingo . Apart of this there's metro,teleféricos rail systems, The other requirement is national rail connections to have a better infrastructure. The current government under Luis Abinader seems to be moving to the stages for more social issues solutions . As we border Haiti which is a country with massive social problems ,Crime being their most urgent solution. This social problem will take a long time to resolve .

[@EyeSeeThruYou]

I've always wondered about the stark contrasts between the two nations sharing the island. Thank you for this thoughtful analysis.

[@MindBodySoulOk]

Go to Wikipedia and search on the leaders of the two countries. The elephant in the room can be found there.

[@bjohnston3659]

Because the Dominicans had a peaceful transition to the island paradise it now is with a functioning Civil Service, an unbroken experience with largely responsive government, etc. It's forests remain largely intact as the result of government policy controlling (or in some cases banning) forestry, particularly clear cut forestry. On the other hand, Haiti transitioned to "freedom", with a brutal slave revolt in which most Europeans, including women and children, were slaughtered. There simply was no basis for organizing a government at any level. Whatever privations the former slaves had been through, they were NOT naturally and suddenly endowed with cooperative organizational skills. The deforestation has largely been as a result of the Haitian peasants' habits of denuding the landscape for food and fuel and a continuous legacy of corruption and mismanagement. The outsiders' reluctance to do business with Haiti in both the present day AND historically,, is based on the fact there really is no "Haiti" to do business with, they are simply to disorganized and corrupt to bother with

[@cannabisgamer4202]

Dominican people are one of if not my fav people out there they are out going and friendly and very ambitious coming from a Cuban

[@MasterMind-DR]

Thanks brother from a dominicano 🇩🇴, God bless Cuba 🇨🇺 ❤

[@98265]

I went to Punta Cana and I fell in love with the beautiful people, beaches, and food. So many great memories ❤

[@popmerde]

Lol you basically did NOT experience the real DR

[@98265]

Because you where there to make sure I didn't 😂

[@flex1661]

Thank you. Please come back. We will welcome you with open arms ❤️

[@Messiah-vi9mk]

Bring more money they'll be a lot nicer to you.

[@claritzagartan7357]

@popmerde why do you want to talk shitttt about DR lots of people go to the resorts and outside to including me and I visited different places in DR and I live it I went to santiago jarabacoa Las Vega Mao and other places and i didn't want to leave it was so great

[@serious1756]

We all know why the differences are huge, only Haitians don't.

[@killerxx89]

Why ?

[@ER-df8vx]

Lol I know

[@arewecrazyyet]

How they began is why! Education is the difference! One was started by a revolt by completely uneducated people. The other was started by people who were educated and knew how a government works. The US was started by wealthy and educated landowners who were once part of the British social elite.

[@maltrhythm105]

% of black population

[@arewecrazyyet]

The Bahamas are just fine so that theory is obviously incorrect. @@maltrhythm105

[@elihere1242]

I wish more people Learn about this, a lot of people blame Dominican Republic of Haiti situation

[@Axalachi]

Interesting

[@maverickd.t.l.9749]

What do people blame the DR and Haiti for…? I’m confused

[@elihere1242]

@@maverickd.t.l.9749 Ppl blame DR for the situation Haiti is in today somewhat make them responsible but is propagand and ppl that is unaware of History

[@Axalachi]

@@maverickd.t.l.9749 yeah it the French fault, not the DR

[@MrGaters34]

@@Axalachi 200 years later and it's still the French fault if the Haitian didn't handled themselves.

[@dannyarcher6370]

This guy: Haiti was the richest French colony because of its agricultural exports. Also this guy: Haiti is poor because of geography.

[@nobodyspecial4702]

If only the former slaves were willing to keep working, they could have remained one of the wealthiest nations in the Western Hemisphere. Sadly, freedom comes with a lack of responsibilities.

[@dannyarcher6370]

@@nobodyspecial4702 As a white South African, I know exactly what you mean.

[@exelmans8855]

@@belibre3067you understand very well. And I’m black.

[@wiseguy240Winston]

​@@nobodyspecial4702working on what exactly? Also that fine to France let alone the US was game over for them from the start. Superpowers weren't even willing to trade with them, while draining them dry.

[@bastianx8772]

Richest because of slave labor

[@philly0976]

Why no mention of the Massacre of French People?

[@PregnantFreddyKrueger]

With regards to why Saint Domingue had way more slaves vs Santo Domingo: the Spanish Royal Crown was also devoutly Catholic. Queen Isabela (Spanish for Elizabeth) believed all under God, slave, free, indigenous, African, European, nobleman, and commoner alike were equal under God and the Crown. So, even the treatment of the colonized and/or slaves were more closely monitored and held to a standard similar to Mosaic law. That wasn't always the case, of course, but there were enough political rivals in the colonies for such standards to be held to some extent. Matter of fact, it's the very reason Christopher Columbus was arrested by the Crown and sent to Spain: he was quite cruel towards the Tainos and was reported for his acts. That's saying something considering how some of the others on Hispaniola treated the colonized.

[@francoislepatriote3790]

It's crazy to think that on one and the same island there are two countries so different economically, culturally, demographically, with an African country to the west and a Latin American country to the east. The French had made the western part of the island a 100% slave colony, the Spaniards made them more of a settlement colony, there were also slaves but not in the same proportion as the French.

[@victormitrell2989]

Spanish did not have colonies, they had overseas provinces.

[@harryhanz1690]

@victormitrell2989 Semantics. The Spanish, like every other European power, came to the Americas to loot, steal land, rape and murder. Then they forced their god on the "uncivilized savages".

[@johnnyearp52]

​@@victormitrell2989 Trying to make colony sound prettier?

[@dan5626]

@@davidgarcia5593 Haiti is as Latin as Quebéc.

[@thebembucaro4566]

@@davidgarcia5593 they’re still different drastically

[@Count85]

One thing that hardly ever gets mentioned about the Hatian war for independence, is the subsequent massacre of the white citizens of french descent, ordered by Dessalines. Which had a major impact on how the U.S and other colonial powers viewed haiti. It's possible that had that not happened, they still may not have recognized haiti, but those purges certainly didn't help at all.

[@wiseguy240Winston]

Considering how brutal slavery in Haiti was I don't blame them.

[@history_leisure]

My great-grandfather (who died shortly after my mom was born) was the US ambassador to Haiti at one point. So he was technically captured twice by dictators (the other time being Nazis in WWII when he was a journalist)

[@jevinday]

That's crazy dude!

[@MindPuzzlerYT]

Would love to learn more about this man and his story

[@bastianx8772]

He was technically a spy you mean

[@history_leisure]

@@bastianx8772 he was a journalist. I just don’t like modern journalism so I just want to do my own thing-hasn’t worked out yet

[@dougieranger]

That sounds like it’d make a great book.

[@RozyRoPink150]

Dominican Republic is a beautiful place with friendly festive people

[@xfirehurican]

I lived in Santo Domingo for exactly two years (1993-95) and enjoyed traveling around the country in my 4Runner. Balaguer was still in power then, but overall, daily life was pretty good. My apartment was across the street from the nicest and largest park in the city - with a small nightclub in a cave inside the park! I visited Port au Prince once, and that was enough! In the DR, scuba diving, boating, fishing, and hanging out with the locals, whether in SD, in the rural highlands or beach villages - everywhere I traveled, the people were extremely friendly and respectful. I still miss hanging out in Zona Colonia, De Nosotros empanadas, Rico's hot dogs, baked platanos, Presidente beer, and Barcelo! I even got a private tour all the way to the top of the Faro de Colon!

[@maxalmonte14]

I guess you lived in front of the Mirador Sur park and the bar in a cave you are referring to is Guacara Taína. Pardon my French but it seems you had a big ass amount of money sir.

[@xfirehurican]

@@maxalmonte14That's it. About halfway along the park was a pond with paddle boats or something like that. I was doing alright when I lived there. 😃

[@lisapeters1831]

Another difference is the Duvaliers didn't work on getting electricity throughout the country. Haitians were told to cut down trees to make charcoal to cook with. This led to devastating consequences. When it rains, they have bad mudslides. And, since they seem to get hit by Hurricanes a lot, without trees, the earth from the mountains just runs, down in mud slides. You can see the line between Haiti and the, DR flying in based on the lack of trees on the Haitian side.

[@PunkSlapper123]

DR is awesome. The people, the culture, and the food are incredible. I went a couple of baseball games down there. It was great.

[@BioChemistryWizard]

Massive biological IQ gap is the reason. Haiti is one of the most prime spots for tourism in the world. They could get loans but the people cant stop looting the funds they get from other countries to develop social programs

[@kenshin6553]

Haiti actually has a 0.05 point higher average IQ than the DR

[@classic.cameras]

Wow Geoff your channel is really taking off. Congratulations.

[@losdominicanos]

Regarding the border seen at 2:51, that's the current border that isn't a century old yet. When the Dominican Republic became independent in 1844, its territory was bigger than today as it consisted of the former Spanish colony territory. Much of what is now central Haiti initially was Dominican territory. Haitian towns such as Hinche (La Concepción de Hincha), Saint Michel d'Atalaye (San Miguel de la Atalaya), Saint Raphael (San Rafael de la Angostura), Lascahobas (Las Caobas), etc were all founded by the Spanish and initially inhabited mostly by Dominicans. With time those towns and much of the now central part of Haiti, which was known as Guava to the Spanish and then the Dominicans, saw an increase of the Haitian population, eventually Haitians outnumbering Dominicans. Based on that concept, the Haitian government put those territories in dispute claiming it belong to Haiti since most of the population there consisted of Haitians. Dominicans refused to give those lands to Haiti and what ensued was a very long border dispute between the two nations that at times would turn bloody with military involvement. Now, the reason the Haitian population grew to outnumber the Dominicans wasn't solely due to illegal immigration from Haiti (they tended to just move to the area, many times with no concept they were in another country. Keep in mind that for much of history the mass of the people were uneducated and devoid of knowing many things by design from the Haitian government, as it was a policy of Port-au-Prince to keep the population in ignorance and superstition to facilitate their control and management.) Dominicans emigrated from the area for several reasons. Among them was the constant military invasions and since that land was essentially the frontier, it brunt the effect of every single invasion. The defeats the Dominicans made on the Haitian invading forces always took place further east from there. Some of the effects was constant burning down of their houses, widespread theft of their cattle, horses and other domestic animals; and basically everything they worked to build over several years was destroyed by the invading forces in mere hours. To avoid having to start over again and again, many people abandoned their property and moved further east. A perfect example is Pedro Santana, who was president of the DR in several occasions. Originally his family was from a rural area near Hincha (Hinche) and their main activity was cattle ranching. The family got fed up that they were constantly targets of cattle theft, that they took all their cattle and some clothes and utensils and moved to El Seibo. To get an idea how fed up they were with the situation on the then border, El Seibo is near the most eastern point of the island. The El Seibo area was never directly affected by the invading Haitian forces, unlike in the border region. So you had an active Haitian migration to the Guava area and a Dominican mass emigration to get away from the effects of the constant invasions. It was a one-two-punch that accelerated the Haitianization of the region. You go to the central part of Haiti today and near 100% of the people are Haitians. It wasn't until 1929 with Haiti having been under a US military invasion from 1915 to 1934 while the Dominican Republic was no longer under a US military invasion (1916 - 1924), but the US already had much influence in the country's government, out of nowhere the Dominicans that refused to give an inch of the DR to Haiti, ceded most of Guava or much of what is now central Haiti to the Haitian government. This was done during the US intervention in Haiti and the Dominican government headed by president Horacio Vásquez. Then in 1935 under the president Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, a sliver of land along the border was ceded to Haiti too, creating the border as it exist to today. As has been stated already, it's incorrect to say since colonial times that was the border between Spain and France, and later initially between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The 20th century was well beyond 20 years when this new border between the two countries was created.

[@P2Feener305]

🦆 Dumbinicans

[@silentvoiceinthedark5665]

A lot of the land west of punto ruso was lost to haiti in 1850s

[@losdominicanos]

@@silentvoiceinthedark5665 The border in its most northern and most southern extremities (Dajabón-Ounaminthe in the north and Pedernales-Ans A Pitre in the south) has been the same as accorded by Spain and France in 1777. The change in 1929 was the part of the border to the south of Dajabon and to the north of the Bahoruco mountains in Pedernales/Independencia provinces. At no point was any part between the Dajabón/Massacre River and Punta Rucia was given to Haiti. There was a time when the French pretended that their northern border with the Spanish territory wasn’t at the Dajabón/Massacre River, but instead further east at the Rebouc River (today the Guayubín River). This was never accepted by the Spanish and there were so many clashes with the French along the Rebouc River, that to this day in Dominican Spanish to refer to some type of fighting/commotion/problems between two people or groups, people say will call it a “rebú” or “rebolú.” This word is also found in Puerto Rican Spanish and in Cuban Spanish, but since colonial times there has been a lot of Dominican migration to those two islands, most likely it was introduced there by Dominicans and it stuck in the speech. This was before 1777, because in that year both Spain and France defined the border and agreed once again that the northern border is the Dajabón/Massacre River, way west of Punta Rucia. There was a time when the Haitian government had a copy (don’t know if it was lost in the earthquake of 2010) of a map of the island the French made with a border that diagonally crossed the island with the Rebouc River marking the northern border. However, as said, that was never agreed by the Spanish because it included as French territory a large section of Spanish land in the north. That map was from before 1777.

[@geelws8880]

I’m Dominican and everything this guys is saying is true, it’s regular history for us in school!

[@hilaryhongkong]

I've been to the Dominican Republic (one of more than 70 nations I've visited), and I've been living in Mexico for the past 8 years, after having living in England, Australia, and Hong Kong. I have never been to Haiti but the Dominican Republic is not a wealthy developed country videos are like this are trying to say it is. During my brief stay in the capital city, they even had hours of blackout during the day, something the manager of the building said was quite common.

[@thehiker_7860]

Dominican Republic has a pretty uniquely bad Electricity Grid compared to the rest of Latin America. As I'm sure you know, blackouts in Mexico and other Latin American countries aren't nearly as common. That being said, outside of that outlier, Dominican Republic is still an Upper-Middle-Income country with fast economic growth rates and low unemployment. Their GDP Per capita even puts them somewhat near to an upgrade to High Income Status.

[@edwarda2033]

You do realize countries change and develop?

[@tavroaar8173]

Not sure when was the last time you visited but the country today has a much more better stable electrical system. Definitely during the summer months blackouts are more common. It’s also important to note that the Dominican Republic is one of the fastest growing economies in the region . Which means the country is growing so fast that it can not keep up with production of electricity for consumption.

[@allenderobles8639]

Anyway Dominican Republic is the first economic in the Caribbean and Central America ✌🏻

[@allenderobles8639]

Hilary in exilie 🙏 so sorry for you country Haiti 🇭🇹

[@LLUVIAFRESCA7]

There are places in the Dominican Republic where you find more Haitians than Dominicans. There are 476 Haitian villages in the Dominican Republic. Who ever wants to talk about racism in Dominican Republic should find out ALL THE HELP THAT THE HAITIAN RECEIVED FROM The Dominican people. Also find out all the crimes perpetrated by Haitians. Some are really nice people, but some are not.

[@engelgarabatos5061]

Ellos quieren quedarse con el país pariendo como locos para en un futuro ser mayoría. They did not even try to reply to your comment because they know this Is crazy truth.

[@exn641US]

The DR has a literacy rate of 92%. Haiti has a literacy rate of 60%. The most basic fundamental for a person's prosperity is the ability to read, write and communicate. If 40% of a nation is illiterate, you can pretty much guarantee it will not prosper.

[@niahniah123]

I’ve noticed this trend of discussing Haiti and the DR lately. The rise in discussion is really appreciated and important, but it’s sad to see people reduce Haiti to its struggles and compare it to its neighbor.

[@jb2736]

It's because the Haitians are very melenated black looking people, I'm not surprised, the West, never ease their foot off the Haitians peoples necks.

[@mr2981]

@@cirilloucazzu4457 Right. Why wouldn't a country be compared to one immediately next to it which is doing a much better job.

[@mixtapemania6769]

Yeah you can't compare countries with two different histories. The DR was a nation with an equal ratio of both free and enslaved people, while Haiti was primarily enslaved. Also, the revolution that led to Haiti's independence was arguably the most dramatic and brutal war in America, the DR fight against Spain (and later Haiti) was very small compared to this, and less consequential. It's a cash grab for white youtubers, what it seems like. Jumping on the degrade/demonize Haiti train. But we've dealt with these kinds of people before, nothing new.

[@jayjamgold815]

I was curious to know what happen why Haiti is not able to get it together and progress. For crying out loud they assassinated the president not long ago and kidnap the very people that come there to help them. You can call it comparison I call it a dose of knowledge. I appreciate this video.

[@ToBeDetermined56789]

​@@niahniah123They never want to talk about that. The US had a big hand in hamstringing Haiti after the uprising in 1804. Thomas Jefferson, in particular, was crapping his pants because he did not want to see that kind of slave uprising in the US.

[@DocAdams8404]

I spent 6 months in Haiti in 2004. Port Au Prince to be specific. Peace keeping mission with the Marines. "Operation secure tomorrow". Very dangerous place.

[@ericLpereira1989]

Jared Diamond also wrote in his book Colapse that another influence on Dominican Republic's prosperity seems to be related to a much more rigorous enviromental laws and surveillance.

[@joesomebody3365]

Things the guy making this video left out: When Haiti rebelled against France it killed 75,000 French people who were living there, such as in the 1804 massacre; many of the people killed were not French soldiers either. (To put that in perspective, 24,000 British were killed during the American Revolution, and most of those were soldiers). Also another thing to point out, the earthquake that hit in 2010 was only 7.0; Lisbon suffered an earthquake that was a 9.0 on the Richter scale in 1755 (pretty much destroying the city and killing a third of the people in the capital) and they rebuilt and recovered. (Chile got hit with a 9.5 magnitude earthquake in 1960, one of the largest in the entire world, and they recovered as well). Basically man-bun is making crap excuses for the Haitians, tired ones at that. Haiti is crappy because of the people who run it, accept no excuses.

[@wiseguy240Winston]

Ummm can u blame them? They were brutally enslaved no? Haiti suffered off Embargo, huge fines that took over 100 yrs to pay off & free slaves who lived their whole life not learning about creating infrastructure

[@kwamester14]

Slavery in St. Domingue was a death sentence(labor pop. had to be replenished every 7 years) and the French there were notorious for their torture methods. Humans unfortunately always want retribution & revenge and anyone who looks like the oppressor will get that work

[@RobertJohnson-ec2uq]

Yeah like Zimbabwe & South Africa - prosperous, functioning countries handed over only 30 to 40 years ago to... drumroll....guess who?.....and today they're sxxxholes that are almost as bad as Haiti. Sorry, your arguments hold zero water. Wake up & see which way the wind is blowing, man.@@wiseguy240Winston

[@maipe6917]

You left out that 345,000 people died during the Haitian revolution meaning that when you subtract the 75,000 French killed you are left with 270,000 Haitians who died, how many of them were soldiers do you think? Why do you only focus on the deaths of people who who reaped the benefits from the enslavement and subjugation of others and not the deaths of the almost 4 times as many people whom they enslaved? There were massacres on both sides and if you want to bring up 1804 you might want to consider that the revolution started in 1791. The revolution had been going on for 13 years 13 years so I’m not exactly sure how accurate it is to portray as innocent victims the people who were banking on France crushing the fight for freedom.

[@mercedes4328]

And those French people had them enslaved and treated them horribly for years!! Of course they killed them.

[@fraseredk7433]

Making excuses for Haiti will leave them in their mess. Look for the common denominator.

[@SouthernGent44]

If you can't devote a few brain cells to a discussion, stay out of it. Sit down and shut up when grown folks are talking.

[@nevets3889]

Racism

[@johanstinson]

​@@nevets3889 that ain't it

[@nathanielovaughn2145]

​@@nevets3889😂😂😂

[@LikeSpee]

@@johanstinson did you watch the video 😫

[@Divedown_25]

I lived in Dom Rep for three years. Love the people there. Made many lifelong friends. Haiti… well, tough there and just to make a note, the Dom Rep Independence Day is celebrated as they broke free from Haiti.

[@annerodgers9798]

Sun ovens would solve that problem.

[@blaqdiemenz]

yeah acting like 2 wars against Spain didn't even happen

[@calrissianlando7792]

@@blaqdiemenz and two wars against the USA

[@lagunacabarete]

"Haiti… well, tough there ..." Have you ever been there?

[@chrischris1773]

@@blaqdiemenz There has only been one war against Spain and we celebrate that day, and is called "Día de la restauración". If you gonna talk shit in the internet, at least get your facts straight.Btw, a country can't have an independence if they're a country already dumbass...

[@GRACIASESPAÑA0520]

A kid and a elderly man were killed by Haitians last night 😢

[@AttractionAlchemy33]

what city

[@GRACIASESPAÑA0520]

@@AttractionAlchemy33 el cibao.

[@tavroaar8173]

Dominican Republic is the 7 largest economy of latin America. It is the number one tourist destination in the Caribbean with more than 8 million tourist a year. It’s a middle income country which some people won’t believe because of the still lingering poverty but the country is developing. Haiti does not help as when Haitians move to the other side they bring their poverty with them which makes it difficult for Dominican Republic to move forward.

[@PendulumCancel]

I can only imagine how much richer it'd be if we had Venezuela or Colombia as a country instead. We'd probably only be behind Mexico and Brazil in GDP/population and there would probably be a hundred million of us. Way too many platanos for this world to contend with haha.

[@tavroaar8173]

@Marek Cracovia Dominican engineers, architects, urban planners, etc are also building Dominican Republic. Not just Haitians.

[@tavroaar8173]

@Marek Cracovia your saying that Haitians are building DR when that is not the full case. Your not taking into encounter everyone else.

[@prohibitedname]

​@marekcracovia4061haitians are the ones benefitting the most. They receive payments they don't get in Haití and get Jobs, free medical attention, free schooling in dr. And send money to their relatives. You know nothing. If DR enters a construction crisis Haití Will dissapear.

[@happycommentator6773]

The Dominicans better stop the invasion!!!!! If they don't,they do so at their own peril.

[@tribaltalker1608]

I've had the privilege to visit the Dominican Republic a few times and it's generally a nice place, decent people and so on. Obviously there are rough places and rough people, you find them in every nation. The countryside is beautiful of course and the coastal waters are well worth visiting. It helps that I speak some Spanish and have lived in hot zones before. Definitely one of the countries I enjoyed being in. Oddly I have never, ever considered visiting Haiti, even though I speak some French too. Haiti's reputation precedes it. I hope they can somehow escape their downward spiral. Regards from the Midlands, UK.

[@titobeme]

Thank you for your level-headed explanations of the stark disparities between Dominican Republic 🇩🇴 and Haiti 🇭🇹.

[@TBOTSS]

Haiti is 95% black, The Dominican Republic is 8% black. That is the only explanation you need.

[@Elgringo2180]

You mean Dominican is like 85%. Every Dominican I’ve met has been black or mixed with black. Don’t kid yourself.

[@DavidJohnson-tv2nn]

Why is it that where ever you have black people, there are problems? Whether it's Haiti, Africa, or American cities!

[@sandgrownun66]

@@TBOTSS Shhh. How dare you say such things!

[@mixtapemania6769]

@@TBOTSS LOL dominicans wish they were only 8% black. I've seen dominicans that are blacker than charcoal, and most of them are brown mulattoes (white and black)

[@djo-bey]

It's amazing that an island has a border in the first place.Colonial history is biggest example of conquer and divide.

[@mr.snulch]

I saw a VICE documentary on a prison in Haiti a while ago that deeply disturbs me till this day. 4000+ people packed like sardines into a prison facility designed for 1000. Many of them were grabbed off the street by police and locked up without a trial, so they may be innocent but must await their trial date. But their paperwork is lying forgotten in a massive pile, in the corner of an office where nobody is working, in a city constantly disputed by gangs and with little rule of law and few judges. So the prisoners are physically stuck in this living hell with basically no system for them to ever get out, many of whom are innocent. In the blazing heat with tuberculosis running rampant, no room to even lie down, no way to contact your family, and no idea wtf is happening with that trial you were told you would get 8 years ago. The whole country is just a living nightmare. I really hope it gets better.

[@wintyforever]

Jesus Christ. Some places on this earth are literal hell. You can’t blame Haitians for wanting to leave.

[@Dmullins81]

As an individual that has spent the first 14 years of his life in Santo Domingo, I always felt that my explanations and comparations regarding the DR And Haiti weren't "up to par" with a well researched show like yours. So thank you for freeing me from that lifelong burden because starting today, whoever asks me to explain this topic again, they're ALL gonna get this video. Instead..!😂 BTW, the video was just as good (if not better than your other ones..!) Thank you..

[@ombudsmanGhana]

This video has taught me more than I thought. Awesome !!!

[@morninglift1253]

To be honest, I have to say that this video doesn't really explain why Haiti hasn't improved their economy. It just states that it hasn't. One factor might be cultural. I don't know if this is true but if the left side was mostly slaves, people might not emphasize education as much which is integral to development.

[@christopherhume8896]

Another big difference is the prevalence of voodoo in Haiti compared to the Dominican Republic. Would be interesting to see how this affects the culture.

[@granmabern5283]

Law of the jungle instead of the Laws of God.

[@shalinitiwariscorner5210]

​@@granmabern5283 You mean the laws that led Europe in Dark Ages where scientists were executed and innocent women were witch hunted !?!

[@upcloselife]

It doesn't affect at all

[@upcloselife]

​@@granmabern5283 it's Haiti not Switzerland

[@mixtapemania6769]

@@granmabern5283 Well let's see. Less than 12% of haitians practice voudoun, the rest are either catholic or protestant (with protestants being much less likely to mix vodoun in their religion). 51% of France is atheist, and 29% of americans are, so it appears they are living by the law of jungle

[@raysjb]

I would have liked to have learned more about geographical differences between the 2 areas. You showed the mountainous area, but part of what should be wet and lusher is on the Haitian side, and part of what should be the dryer area on the Dominican side. It be interesting to know how things have played out in those areas.

[@4SuGloria]

It would be best if you fact-checked what actually happened to the international funds that were donated to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. Most of what was given through the Red Cross never reached Haiti. The Red Cross kept it for “future disasters.” Yes, the Haitian govt also mismanaged or kept funds, but they did not in any way receive what people think they received. I was there volunteering after the earthquake, and I saw even the international govt groups not helping in the way that they said they were there to help.

[@angelit161]

🎯👏🏾👏🏾

[@AL-lh2ht]

The Red Cross is a evil organization that done stuff like this many, many times.

[@zimriel]

A good documentary here was "Clinton Cash".

[@johnm5714]

@@zimriel yeah-who got that money?

[@noelfondeur3184]

In February 27th, 1844 was The Dominican Republic independence from Haiti. In 1861 the Dominican side became a Spain province again after multiples fights between Spaniards and local Dominicans, the Dominican Republic declared independence again well known as restauration day In August 16, 1865

[@theworldisavampire3346]

Mindboggling. I have been a frequent visitor to the Dominican Republic. I literally forget its on same island with Haiti. 😔

[@mutteringmale]

Try going to St.Maarten, the Dutch side, then drive over to the French side. Anyplace the French colonized turned into a shiite hole.

[@LesediModisakeng-in8uq]

​@mutteringmale Really? The St Martins aren't on par with each other... after hearing of Hispaniola's story... I came across the Martins and just was repulsed that France literally created a similar dynamic to Hispaniola there... France is nothing more than a lustful, greedy and corrupt colonial failure and colonial charlatan... the Francosphere is the most impoverished region of all the colonised world 🌎 and its just disgusting 🫣😢

[@-Dash-]

The condition of any town, city or country is a direct reflection of the people that live in it.

[@kimmopirkkala3294]

When viewing differences from geographical point, we are overlooking the most important factor; Societies are made by people and their cultures. Of course we won't be talking much about that, because it brings us to some disconcerting and not very politically correct thoughts.

[@actionjksn]

Yes and it's outrageous that he portrayed the desolation and lack of trees as being the mountains are blocking the rain. Regardless of the fact that it is a tropical island that has rain everywhere. I've been there it rains a lot because it's a tropical island, all of it is. Everything you see on the landscaping Haiti was done by people, and is being done by people right now. The trees could be regrown in 30 years. The land has been wiped out for many generations. There's any difference in rain it's one side has a whole lot of rain and the other has a slightly bigger whole lot of rain. There's so much rain in Haiti they have mudslides.

[@TheJohnathan410]

So ur saying cuz of black people???

[@kimmopirkkala3294]

@@TheJohnathan410 I'm not focusing on skin colour. As far as I know the dominicans are quite black too. The bottom line is that society is made out of people and there is no denying that societies become like their people. And societies can't correct their course without focusing on root causes like the culture. It will not make things better to blame the history, climate or racism. Look forward. Start building on right things and quit shitting in your own nest.

[@sarahcasey7172]

A renowned Haitian painter sold my father one of his works on a visit there in the 1960s. Within a brilliant teal-blue background the artist placed the uniquely imagined figure of a man framed by fronds of palm. The island nation and her wonderful people deserve a change in government and present circumstances.

[@josiahmorris5799]

No. They must earn it

[@lenormand4967]

We are not allowed to talk about the real reason.

[@bscottb8]

The real reason compounded by uncontrolled population growth.

[@frankcastillor.4000]

Excellent unbiased review of the Island of Hispaniola. As a Dominican-American this type of objective review makes it very clear that Dominicans DO NOT discriminate Haitians on the basis of color, in fact there is no discrimination, we simply are 2 different countries with different cultures and even different languages. In fact part of the progress in the DR is due to the lower cost Haitian labor. The truth is that in order to strive in the future both countries need each other, as neighbors working towards a common goal. Not as fused countries as many world powers have tried to push for the entire island. Great job!!

[@kurosakiichigo5067]

As an Haitian living in the country, I can say that you're right. But I should also point out that there's is way more things that should be considered in explaining the sharp contrast between us and our neighbors. One notable example is the debt of the independence. Basically, we had to pay 🇫🇷 to recognize we we're a free country. That was a hard blow to the country's economy and growth.

[@lulu0724]

That was a big blow for the Dominican Republic as well. Haiti stripped the DR of everything they had during their 22 years invasion and used all their resources to pay part of their debt to France. The economic deterioration of the Dominican Republic was very severe to the point dominican generals were asking Spain to retake control of their country years later after their independence from Haiti. Mind you, DR had just gotten their independence from Spain two months prior to the haitian invasion.

[@AtOneMent1844]

It would be really nice to see Haiti economically stable.

[@TomSnyder-gx5ru]

It'll never be stable as long as "Haitians" live there! My dad always said "Africa is Africa for a reason!"

[@CaptainSteve777]

You forgot to mention that Haiti is the oldest black-run country in the Western Hemisphere. It's not a coincidence that it is the poorest as well. They should stop blaming everyone but themselves.

[@BioChemistryWizard]

There is a strong correlation to how long an African populated country is colonized by Europe and how developed it is. All the oldest African run ones are also the worse off.

[@CaptainSteve777]

@@BioChemistryWizard Of course. That should be obvious to everyone without woke agendas. Cheers

[@bra195]

I agree

[@russreed1529]

Back in 1965, I was in the Marine Corps and in April and May of that year, there was a political crisis in Santo Domingo. We were sent there to restore order and to instill an American backed president. I found the Dominicans to be very friendly and decent people. My limited association with the Haitians was quite different. They were angry and violent and full of aggression. I was happy to leave and return to Camp Lejuene.

[@gvs8341]

Im puertorrican and we call Dominicans our brothers even tho we’re always fighting for sports or music, we share so many cultural and behavioral aspects however not the same with haitians, this made me understood some questions that i never asked myself

[@jasonhernandez619]

Re: deforestation. Dominicans, even though many of them cook with wood, manage their land for no net loss of forest. There is, however, a problem with poachers illegally cutting forests in order to make charcoal for export to Haiti. Haitians: "Let's burn this wood to turn this other wood into charcoal to burn." But no, I'm sure that can't have anything to do with it.

[@CBatista1234]

"even though many of them cook with wood" (False). Very few Dominicans cook with wood.

[@hugomorel9047]

the only people who cook with wood are the people in the remote countryside. majority of the people live in urban areas. how to say you haven't been to Dominican republic outside of the resorts without saying it.

[@walpoleandworcester]

I need to go back to the DR someday. Haven’t been in over a decade and that’s where my family is from. Great beaches, plenty of blackouts last time I went but the street food was amazing. But anyway, the whole island of Hispaniola has had a violent past and dictators ruling both countries before.

[@PLATANITO829]

A decade ago? It's not even remotely close to the same country you once left. DR has changed drastically in the past decade. In a good way too. Metro systems, cable cars system, mono rails etc...

[@tavroaar8173]

Blackouts have decreased big time.

[@PendulumCancel]

I came back to the DR in Fall of 2021 and in some ways it's still the same beautiful island with boisterous people and great food, but it has changed. Internet usage is way up, apartment complexes are starting to sprout up in places not named La Capital and blackouts are far less frequent. I haven't seen it with my own eyes, but I know that in Santo Domingo they're building some impressive public transit infrastructure as well. It's not exploding forwards like China, but more like a Latin India which imo is more sustainable in the long term. If it keeps this up for another twenty years DR would be one of the places to be (Climate change is a SERIOUS worry for Island nations, though). In my heart of hearts I really do hope Haiti can move forward in a similar fashion.

[@tavroaar8173]

@@PendulumCancel not only in the capital in its second largest city they are building a monorail. Two masss transit system at the same time. Also next year will begin the Santo Domingo- Santiago high speed rail and the Punta Cana - Santo Domingo rail line. 💪

[@calrissianlando7792]

@@PLATANITO829 a decade ago? Wow, the country you left is gone. It's something else, terrible and horrific that hides under music and fake fun. The DR has become hell. Viva TRUJILLO.

[@jayjasperjp]

2:14 This map is incorrect. The original division of the island was more favorable to Spain. Parts of modern day Haiti used to be part of the Dominican Republic

[@johnnymonestime3742]

Let's NOT forget that Spain ceded the entire island to France in the Treaty of Basel (1795). Haiti actually is the rightful owner of DR.

[@LuisPerez-xe6nu]

@@johnnymonestime3742 Spain ceded the Spanish side to France (not to Haiti). In 1808 the Spanish colony fought and defeated the French. Haiti had no business on the Spanish side of the island.

[@o.ramirez]

@@johnnymonestime3742 You Haitians are not even masters of your own destiny. We Dominicans expelled France in 1809. You Haitians expelled and murdered the French in 1804 and only from the west of the island, NOT FROM THE ENTIRE ISLAND, a lie that the Haitian history books repeat. In 1822 misfortune came to the Dominicans with the Haitian occupation. In 1844 we succeeded in expelling you. THANK GOD.

[@johnnymonestime3742]

@@LuisPerez-xe6nu "the Spanish side of the island." The East side of the the island of Ayiti, the rightful, original name of the island, is stolen land. We are the avengers of the Tainos, not the invaders and their children. The children of the invaders are still invaders. Please don't tell us about your Tainos blood when you continue to uphold those who raped and killed them.

[@alexanderdelacruz3162]

​@@johnnymonestime3742You're right, we are the conquistadores, but that only makes us even more deserving of this whole island. Regarding Haiti, even the Haitians were the ones who helped us drive out the French so that the eastern side of the island would once again be part of Spain, thanks for that help, I don't understand why they don't teach you about it in your schools.

[@eliezer.deleon]

Son todos bienvenidos a la República Dominicana. Esperamos que pronto Haití pueda salir adelante y prosperar. Abrazos para todos.

[@Girlwithapurse03]

Mira coño, los Haitianos no cuidan su propia tierra, que usted cree que van hacer con la tierra de otros?