The world’s prime, vital problem bears repeating a million times. It is how to triple swiftly, safely and satisfyingly the overall performance realizations per pound, kilowatt and man hour of the worlds comprehensive resources. To do so will render those resources, which at present design level can support only 44% of the humanity, capable of supporting 100% of humanity’s increasing population at higher standards of living than any human minority or single individual has ever known or dreamed of. To this concentrate on the mastery of the physical service of man will also have its inadvertent profit increment, for to master the physical, intellectually, will bring into human intecourse a lever of integrity of exploration fo the metaphysical capabilities of man and the metaphysical ramification of universe also heretofore undreamed of by man. Science and engineering say this is eminently feasible. – Buckminster Fuller (p 227-228, Utopia or Oblivion) (Comments made in 1965)

I write to help myself discover what I think about topics. As I write I often discover I haven’t though as thoroughly about an idea as I think I have.

The topic I want to think and hopefully talk about in the future with some of you in person is international development, specifically, helping create a better environment in Haiti. When I say “better” I specifically mean access to electricity, wider dissemination of knowledge (internet, school), access to better tools for production and access to better healthcare.
I want to think about Haiti because it is the poorest country in this hemisphere.
As you may have read in my post from July, I currently have 2 young adults I’m supporting in their studies in Haiti. One of those students now has a sister who also wants to start studying. I do not have unlimited funds so I have reached out to others to ask for help in funding.

The big question I am asking myself is how to help Haiti become economically profitable. That’s a pretty big question. There are many factors contributing to Haiti’s current economic state. Political corruption, international pressures, outside countries economic manipulations. How does a person even start to think about affecting all these things as an individual? I think it’s best to start at an individual level. How can I help one individual in Haiti have a little better life? That’s why I am working with Wathson to understand his prospects after he graduates from high school and as he studies to be a medical professional.

I believe that each person who finds a better life is able to bring more prosperity for their region. Ultimately production is the way to prosperity. One person creating more with better tools, increasing efficiency, is a way for more wealth for that person. In the process of one person creating more more efficiently, they will seem to take that wealth from another person. The fallacy in this is the thought that there is only so much production to go around. The world is not infinite, but it is pretty large. Large enough for there to be literally tons of resources for each person on the earth. The dissemination of knowledge to each person will ultimately let each person create enough for themselves. There is one scenario for the future where each person has so much capital and knowledge that they are able to create everything they need for themselves. If you don’t believe that it’s because you haven’t thought about it enough yet.

One question I have been asked repeatedly while I am providing funding for students education in Haiti is “Is that the best use of the money?”

I ask myself that also.
One of the concerns I have is that they wouldn’t be able to get a job in a foreign country with the education they receive in Haiti. I have no proof of that. I also don’t know the likelihood of them getting a job in a different country anyway.
While the above is a good question I think there are other good questions. For example “If these students don’t get this education what is their future likely to look like in Haiti?”
“Are they more or less likely to find employment with this education?”
“Are they likely to have a brighter future because of receiving this education?”
Because I believe the answer to those 3 questions is yes I think this is the right path to take at the moment to fund their education.

A country like Haiti did not end up in the economic situation it is in all by itself or over night. Many other countries and people have had an impact to bring it to where it is today. It will take time to pull it out of the rut. I believe that eventually the world will be a good place for everyone. In “a good place” I mean that there will not be death from simply preventable causes such as starvation, lack of access to iodized salt or lack of access to clean water. I would like to be a part of the process and help to accelerate the process. If left to its own devices, it might take a century or 2 or more to have everyone reach an economic prosperity. I believe it should be possible in 40 years, maximum, assuming the economic haves (nearly everyone in the USA and many other developed countries) focuses on helping the current have nots.

For a start on learning some of the things I have you might want to read this article about crop dumping.

Then there are a few books I recommend.

23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism – Ha-Joon Chang
Capital in the Twenty-First Century – Thomas Piketty
Enough: Why the World’s Poorest Starve in an Age of Plenty – Roger Thurow, Scott Kilman
The Last Hunger Season – Roger Thurow
Operating Manual For Spaceship Earth – R. Buckminster Fuller
Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think – Peter H. Diamandis, Steven Kotler

If you would like please contact me via email hooglandaxel@gmail or by commenting below to discuss the possibility of a better future for all.