As a world superpower, America has maintained the image that portrays it as being one of the most benevolent and generous of the wealthiest nations within the free world. America’s platform on the world stage has enabled its citizens to create a new genre of humanitarianism, one that involves dumping an excessive amount of used goods into poverty-stricken countries, specifically Haiti. This excess of used commodities has inadvertently worsened the Haitian economy, directly causing many shoe and sewing factories to permanently shut down. Since America plays such a huge role in philanthropic work, Americans are directly responsible for the consequences that follow when too many charitable donations are made.
It is natural for Americans to want to help people who are impoverished and have limited resources, yet the huge influx of American-granted donations has been destroying local businesses and manufacturers in Haiti. Haiti has essentially become an American-made landfill, taking in used cars, buses, clothing, shoes, and many more “donations” that have seemingly been made to smother white colonial guilt. Haiti currently has an unemployment rate of 40.6%, and The World Factbook states that “more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs.” Furthermore, many Haitians are living in poverty and roughly 20% of Haiti’s annual budget is funded by international aid.
With Haiti’s heavy reliance on generous international donors, it comes as no surprise that Haiti’s low tariff economy has enabled the onslaught of used American goods to litter Haiti’s land. Suddenly, the surplus of donated international goods was enough for Haitians to stop consuming domestic products. Everyday objects were more readily available at cheaper, non-taxed prices, and there was no longer any demand for Haitian-made shoes. A decrease in demand for shoes caused a ripple effect within the Haitian economy: workers were laid off, businesses were shut down, and other industries that were incorporated into textile production suffered tremendously.
According to The Almanac of American Philanthropy, American “giving has hovered right around 2 percent of our total national treasure. Two percent of GDP is a huge sum, particularly in comparison to other countries.” Americans have directly contributed to Haiti’s unstable economy, yet no one seems to understand the repercussions of excessive charity. The American government has not publicized this issue in the slightest, and private corporations that provide an avenue for donating have stayed silent about the state of Haiti’s economic conditions. With many public enterprises refusing to talk about this issue, a much larger idea has become obvious: immoderate donations make the Haitians develop a reliance on wealthier nations, and this prevents Haiti from becoming a well-developed country that is capable of being a powerful force. Are charitable donations a way for America to ensure that third-world nations remain dependent and weak?
