Haiti's second revolution: finding social freedom after the earthquake

This thesis examines the future of Haiti in the aftermath of the January 12, 2010 earthquake. The Haitian earthquake was more than a natural disaster. It devastated a country that was already damaged by a legacy of colonial oppression, demonstrated through a historical analysis of the effect that colonialism has had on the development of Haiti. It argues that the January 2010 earthquake, although causing almost insurmountable damage to the country, can actually be seen as a way for Haitians to achieve the condition I, following Amartya Sen, have defined as “social freedom”. The research for the thesis was carried out using a qualitative approach and encompasses both a review of historical literature on Haiti and information gathered from interviews with past and current relief workers of the nongovernmental organization, Rayjon, from Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. The thesis begins with a historical context of the origins of inequality that are found in present-day Haiti as a result of its colonial past, continues with an in-depth analysis of the earthquake and its impact on the country, and discusses the current women’s empowerment movement in Haiti, which is bringing about the movement for social freedom that, potentially, will allow Haiti to achieve sustainable long-term development. The thesis argument draws on the works of Frantz Fanon, Aimé Césaire and Amartya Sen. By using various aspects of their theoretical perspectives, it aims to demonstrate how Haitians can profit from the learning experience that the earthquake has created and move forward in their achievement of “social freedom.”