About the difference between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and the regionally-unique levels of poverty in Haiti: I think this can be traced historically to

About the difference between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and the regionally-unique levels of poverty in Haiti: I think this can be traced historically to the Haitian slave revolt of 1791-1804, and the resulting shock and revenge taken on Haiti by the U.S., France, and other powers. Such action-at-a-distance may seem fanciful, but here's a surprising fact: Haiti was still paying reparations to France until 1947, as compensation for damage and lost property from the slave revolt, including the value of the freed slaves themselves. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/External_debt_of_Haiti http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/External_debt_of_Haiti)