13165: Christophe: Re: 13153: Burnham replies to Dorce Re: 13130 re: elite debate and brass tacks (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Marc A. Christophe <mactof@erols.com>

T. Burnham's comments are straight to the point and constitute an
eye-opener.  Yes there exists a Haitian elite.  However beyond the rehashed
and used up stereotypes, one should objectively ponders the following
observation:  from 1957 to 2002, politicians from the middle class and/or
the masses have been in control of the state and governmental apparatus in
Haiti, yet they have failed to institute the reforms (in universal
education, electrification, transportation, communication, health care) that
could bring about the changes that are needed so that a new national elite
would emerge to replace the so called MRE.

For the Haitian elite to maintain for so long his grasp on the country as
asserted by certain posts, Haiti's middle class politicians (political
elite) must have found it useful to ally itself with the
commercial/industrial elite.

I believe that to uncover the root causes of Haiti's ills one should also
scrutinize the unholy alliances (conspiracy) that existed (exist) between
Haiti's political elite or leaders, the country's commercial elite and
international bankers, financers and institutions (French and German in the
19th century, French, American in the 20th century).

For an example of such conspiracy research the Consolidation Affair/Trial
under the government of Nord Alexis (1902-1908)  .