13185: Dorce posts: Re: 13176: Denis on Corbett and the elite discussion (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: LAKAT47@aol.com

In a message dated 9/13/02 4:07:29 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Jude-Laure Denis
<judela@rcn.com>writes:

<< Of course, every society develops an elite, be it the
 family of the tribal chieftain or that of our political and business
 leaders.  It is the nature of humans to develop distinctions among
 themselves.  This can be seen in the most, so-called "primitive" tribes such
 as the Yanomamo people of South America as well as in the most so-called
 "advanced" societies such as the United States, the United Kingdom or even
 Japan. >>
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Yes every society has an elite.  It is human nature to form groups and it is
also human nature to want to belong to or emulate the highest group.  But you
can't compare Haiti's elite with those of "advanced" societies.  The reason
is, the advanced societies' elite have developed a social responsibility
towards the lesser groups.  This is completely lacking in Haiti's elite.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
>>Ultimately, however, a debate about the existence or non-existence of a
Haitian elite leads nowhere, though it might be of interest
anthropologically.>>
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
There is no debate.  It exists.  And the reason it is not just an interesting
anthropological discussion is that it deeply effects the quality of daily
life in Haiti.  That these people see no responsibility for what is happening
in Haiti is shameful and I don't blame them for wanting to deny their own
existance.  I doubt that they will leave until they have rendered Haiti
uninhabitible.  I know why they won't leave now.  Somewhere else, they would
have to actually WORK for their money. And they wouldn't be king of the hill
anymore.

You can't get rid of the discussion by reducing it to nursery school
behavior.  If the elites are blocking change out of self interest, how best
to get them to see the error of their ways?  Is it possible to get them to
see that Haiti's best interests are their best interests too?  That might be
a way to make a positive contribution to solving Haiti's problems.

Kathy Dorce~