The formal cause – a 7.0 magnitude earthquake – is obvious. But why such devastation?
Blogger Brian Hollar quotes/comments:
"(T)he Haitian earthquake killed tens of thousands of people. But the quake that hit California's Bay Area in 1989 was also of magnitude 7.0. It killed only 63 people. This difference is due chiefly to Americans' greater wealth. With one of the freest economies in the world, Americans build stronger homes and buildings, and have better health-care and better search and rescue equipment. In contrast, burdened by one of the world's least-free economies, Haitians cannot afford to build sturdy structures. Nor can they afford the health-care and emergency equipment that we take for granted here in the U.S.
These stark facts should be a lesson for those who insist that human habitats are made more dangerous, and human lives put in greater peril, by freedom of commerce and industry.
Economic freedom saves lives. The ultimate tragedy in Haiti was not the earthquake. It was Haiti’s lack of economic freedom. That tragedy plays out every day in most of the third world."
HT: Luke
gmail.com
How heartless and devoid of compassion you are to make this about economics and political theory! On the contrary–helping a child recover from cuts on his knee involves more than just bandages; it should include instruction on how to remain upright on a bicycle to prevent future injuries.
What would the death count be if aid in years past had been coming in the form of rebar and portland cement instead of toothbrushes and Barbie dolls?
…or in the form of education regarding free markets, entrepreneurship, and limited government. The best way to love our neighbor is to preach Christ crucified (eternal blessing). The second best, is to preach liberty (temporal blessing), and teach him how to fish.