Chapters 17, 18, 20

Ch. 17 - Revolutions

There was a lot to take in from this chapter but I enjoyed learning more about the Haitian Revolution.  Due to the ideas and examples from the French revolution, it seems an uprising in Haiti was inevitable.  Slaves, whites, and mulattos were all looking for the same thing – power.  Beau use of the slave revolt in Haiti, this was the first time that Africans who were brought to the Americas were “free”, independent citizens.  Haiti was the first country to declare all people equal regardless of color, race, or class.  Yikes, perhaps I should have listened better in high school history as I thought it was the USA who was first.  So why is Haiti now the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere?    According to www.ciaa.gov, Haiti is plagued by deforestation, natural disasters, and an inability to recover quickly enough before the next disaster strikes.  A land that was once rich with coffee and sugar is no more.  It is now a country in ruins with 80% living under the poverty line. 

Ch. – 18 – Social Protest

I’m a union girl.  I am a public employee and I am also a union member.  Both of my grandfathers, my father, my mother, my husband, and my sister are all union people.  I guess that means that all of us don’t/didn’t have very high paying careers (I’m giggling out loud).  Anyhow, just as those workers during the industrial revolution, I have a sense of security knowing it’s there for me.  I am protected, so to speak, from unfair treatment on the job; I’m afforded health care benefits, and a competitive wage.  I pay dues for these benefits but I believe in them.  Many argue that the union is a crutch and it allows bad employees to keep their jobs.  I argue that the union keeps things fair for the “working class”.  Without unions, workers are more disposable, in my opinion.  Cheap labor has always been in demand and probably always will.  We talked about “exploitation” as a good word but in this case I feel many laborers/working class peoples are exploited because they are not fortunate enough to have the backing of a union.  I’m thankful I do.

Ch. 20 – Colonial Encounters

1946 wasn’t that long ago…  To think that only 66 years ago there was still forced labor happening in Africa is upsetting.  Black Africans suffered so much at the hands of the white man.  The idea of statute labor is appalling.  Basically, if you were black you were considered a “native”.  All natives were required to provide unpaid labor in order to build roads, buildings, and other public projects.  The British officials would come around and gather them up like animals and put them to work.  It is no wonder that Africa is in the state it is today.  It will take decades for that country to recover.  The apartheid was almost predictable and although it officially ended in 1994, the county as a whole is a very violent one with several groups trying to gain power by force.  It’s no wonder after what they have been through as a people.