La Republica Dominico-Haitiana?

[NALs]

This is the question that most Dominicans and Haitians fear the most and yet, it's one question that I am sure is asked by every foreigner who has become interested, if not obsessed with Hispaniola.

Despite the fact that the DR and Haiti are gigantic nations by Caribbean standards, there are people who dream of seeing the island as one political entity.

This question is based solely on the political aspect of statehood (as independent state or country, not as a member of the U.S.). This question is not about nationhood so please caste your vote according to the political aspect this question is based upon.

First quick definition:

State: A territorially bounded institution which has full control of the use of force and exploitation of resources within it's boundaries.

Nation: A commonality and form of indentification and culture among a group of people.

Note: Nations do exist without states (ie. Kurds), but in order for states to exist they need nation(s) (ie. United States and Americans). In the first case a nation can exist but it has no land of its own or is divided by various states attempting to control them and the resources they posses while on the latter a state exist in conjunction with a nation and both are mutually using each other to exploit and allocate resources within the territory the state control.

Also, a newly formed state in a territory occupied by variuos nations can attempt to create a new nation based on the blending and assimilation of each nation's characteristics into one unified nation.

Additionally, once a nation is created, it becomes increasingly difficult to diffuse or unite two or more nations if members of each nation strongly identifies and has strong feelings towards their identity and people.

With that unbiased information (I could be more specific, but that would affect the voting pattern), answer the following question:

SHOULD THE DOMINICAN AND HAITIAN STATES BE REPLACED WITH AN ISLAND WIDE STATE?

A) YES

B) NO

C) NOT SURE

[Criss Colon]

Like Canada with it's English speaking part and the "Quebecwha" side!!
After all,there used to be only one Country here!
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[Chirimoya]

The notion of unification only exists in a few demented and paranoid minds.

Nals - insulting our intelligence since 2003

[CarpeDReam]

Originally Posted by Criss Colon

Like Canada with it's English speaking part and the "Quebecwha" side!!
After all,there used to be only one Country here!
cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc cccccccccccccccc

There are a whoooole lot of differences between both countries: language, culture, religion, funeral rituals, social customs...just to name a few. As poorer as Haiti may be, I'm sure most would not want to be part of the DR; just like most dominicans would not want to be a part of the US.

Why isn't Canada part of the US? why isn't South America just one big ole' country, after all most of these countries have even more in common than Haiti and the DR...why not Africa, Middle East or all of Europe? the answer is patriotism and history...this is stronger than present socio-economic status.

[A.Hidalgo]

I would love to hear the argument of that one "yes" vote.

[KateP]

Originally Posted by Criss Colon

Like Canada with it's English speaking part and the "Quebecwha" side!!
After all,there used to be only one Country here!
cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc cccccccccccccccc

Please do not compare Canada and Quebec with the DR and Haiti. These are 2 totally different worlds, as you very well know. And as a Quebecoise, I would appreciate you not make fun of us.

[AnnaC]

Anyone familiar with the word sarcasm?

[suarezn]

Originally Posted by AnnaC

Anyone familiar with the word sarcasm?

Apparently not that Quebecoise...

Nals keeps bringing up this topic, cause deep down he really, really wants to be president of Haiti.

[NALs]

Originally Posted by CarpeDReam

There are a whoooole lot of differences between both countries: language, culture, religion, funeral rituals, social customs...just to name a few. As poorer as Haiti may be, I'm sure most would not want to be part of the DR; just like most dominicans would not want to be a part of the US.

Why isn't Canada part of the US? why isn't South America just one big ole' country, after all most of these countries have even more in common than Haiti and the DR...why not Africa, Middle East or all of Europe? the answer is patriotism and history...this is stronger than present socio-economic status.

Even at the Socio-economic status level, the two countries are different as well.

For example, in Haiti agriculture is the primary source of employment accounting for 66% of the work force, whereas in the DR 83% of the work force is employed in services and industry (58.7% in services and 24.3% in industry). Also, DR's formal economy valued a Purchasing Power Parity $63.73 billion is almost 5 times larger than Haiti's ($14.15 billion) while per capita income of Haiti is only a quarter of the DR's. To this one needs to take into account that per capita GDP are skewed upwards due to unequal distribution of wealth between the riches and lowest segment of a population.

-NALs

Source:

https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications...s/dr.html#Econ

https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications...s/ha.html#Econ

[NALs]

Originally Posted by Chirimoya

The notion of unification only exists in a few demented and paranoid minds.

Nals - insulting our intelligence since 2003

That's precisely what the British believed prior to July 4, 1776.

The only difference was that the notion was not of unification, but rather separation from the part of New Englanders (ie. Yankees) wanting to become an independent state.

Interesting how those "few demented and paranoid minds" are considered heros of a nation that dominates the entire world.

I don't and will never support unification of Haiti or DR into a new state. I would not support the destruction of the Dominican state and simultaneous expansion of the Haitian state. I would only support the protection of the Dominican state as is, or (to a lesser degree and only if it must be done) an expansion of the Dominican state.

However, that does not means that there are no people who wish to see the island as one entity that is neither Dominican or Haitian in nature and we must be aware of their existance.

History is littered with the "few demented and paranoid minds" who had a notion of either unification or separation and actually did such!

Otherwise, why is the British Empire or perhaps the Spanish Empire in extinction today?

The habit of MANY coveniently looking the other way when they should not has plenty to do with the answer of such question!

-NALs