Haiti’s Constant Sorrows

Barbara McDougall, writing in these pages in 2007, described Haiti as a place “that tugs at the heartstrings.” It does. Even since then, the challenges to this poorest country in the Americas have grown, through natural disasters, political mismanagement and well-meaning but insufficiently effective international efforts to help, notably after the earthquake of January 2010. Haiti fatigue sets in—even before most of us have gathered sufficient knowledge of the country to make considered judgements.

My acquaintance with Haiti goes back many years, but I am acutely aware of how dated it is. The sharply polarized views within Haiti and internationally on what most ails the country and on why large sums of international support have produced such disappointing results further complicate matters, as discussed compellingly by Paul Knox in a 2009 LRC essay. Articulate any opinion on a...