Point taken. You know, I thought that your comment about angry haitians and West Indian Tel Aviv on the boom on Santo Domingo thread would be enough to provoke the guy to have a fit, sort like a xenophobic Nirvana of sorts. Guess I was mistaken on that score.

Oh you read that huh (lol)! That was genius and priceless. did you watch the videos though? That Onion stuff can be funny at times man... (lol)!!! It was in reference to the skyscrapers (lol). Chech this one out (lol)!!!

Hello,

I am not sure who Arc is, but I am new to this website. I am female so, I am definitely not he.
I have been interested in the Domican/Haitian relations for quite some time. I just find that Corbett's anaysis on the issue is quite accurate and justified. For further insites you should read "The Black Jacobins, by C.L.R. James.

Ciao,

S

Welcome to the forum, tigress. We are sorely needing to increase the female presence on this forum, cuz' things can get very boring over here sometimes. As for Arc, don't worry, you'll get to be acquainted with his "special" personality soon enough.

Hi L,

It seems this Arc individual is divisive and contraversial. That's one of the problem with this conflict people can't have a discussion without getting offensive and offended. I am Haitian and I have been living in the US since I was 12 years old. I know many Dominicans and at times I have been shocked on how they recognized the situation in their country. However, it seems their views are usually retrospective, in that, they have to come to this country and be like the Haitians at the bottom of the barrel to recognize their previous attitudes and prejudices toward Haitians were unjust.

The other part that I am usually tickle by is the fact they tell me because I have light brown complexion that you look Dominican and not Hatian. My whole family is lighter because we are from the South side of Haiti. Haitians come in many different shades, but for the most part Haitians who are lighter are usually well off and/or at least doing better than their darker counterparts (i.e., a lot of it explained by Corbett--class system and colour prejudice). It is just easier to get a job, get into schools and open a business if you are lighter in Haiti. Consequently, they are not usually in the batey and cutting sugar. In addition, this has facilitated foreigns (Arabs, Germans, and Italians) to come to Haiti and exploit this system to become rich. This is one of the many issues crippling Haiti because more often than not those foreigns never really see themselves as Haitian, therefore the welfare of the country is not in their perview/agenda.


S

S,

Actually, that system is not very different from what we can see here on Santo Domingo, where the foreigners (and the european descended economic elite) are the ones on top, although there's a little twist to the picture: the DR has the benefit of having a substantial (although shrinking by the minute) middle class, which is very heterogeneous in its physical complexion, and also, unlike Haiti, the political and the economic elites are not one and the same. Unlike the economic elites, the political class of the DR is predominantly mixed and very heterogeneous in social origins, representing the whole spectrum of the country. In short, you can find them coming from very different places altogether, be it from the poor barrio of Gualey, from the middle class sector of Alma Rosa or the posh Piantini, just to put a few examples. It's funny to see the relationship between those two elitistic groups by the fact that, even though the politicians are the economic elite's enforcers in their dealings with the populace, the former are nothing more than stinking "nouveau riches" in the eyes of the latter, and apparently nothing will ever change that.

Another thing to observe is that, as of this decade, there's been a widening rift between the interests of both elites, because the economic elite is slowly but surely discovering that the clientilistic nature of our political system (a characteristic that they consented while it served their interests) will end up swallowing their capabilities of making profits sooner or later. Not a very auspicious future, to say the least.

"Another thing to observe is that, as of this decade, there's been a widening rift between the interests of both elites, because the economic elite is slowly but surely discovering that the clientilistic nature of our political system (a characteristic that they consented while it served their interests) will end up swallowing their capabilities of making profits sooner or later. Not a very auspicious future, to say the least."

Very interesting observation Lautaro. Care to share what you've based it on?

You only have to see constant quarrels between the government and the major big business associations of the country (CONEP, ANJE, AIRD, etc.) about the increase experienced by governmental expenditure and taxation on recent years to see that relations are getting increasingly strained between both sectors.

"You only have to see constant quarrels between the government and the major big business associations of the country (CONEP, ANJE, AIRD, etc.) about the increase experienced by governmental expenditure and taxation on recent years to see that relations are getting increasingly strained between both sectors."

What do you think a break in the traditional cozy relationships enjoyed by politicians and the moneyed classes in the country would mean to the average Dominican? In your opinion can such a rift lead to an opening for true democracy somewhere down the line?

That would be possible if, and only if, the rest of the citizenship were to be organized and prepared to seize the opportunity should it present itself. A highly unlikely occurrence, seeing the disorganized state of our populace nowadays, unlike their state on the 60's or 70's (the elites have to thank Balaguer for disrupting that).