Haiti has endured extraordinary suffering , Elizabeth McAlister says . The country is still recovering from the devastating 2010 earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people and left millions homeless. France demanded enormous payment for abandoned property after the revolution , starting a cycle of debt that was never broken . Some view the earthquake as a sign of the Apocalypse , she says . Social scientists offer answers based on history , racism , environmental degradation .
Haiti has endured extraordinary suffering , Elizabeth McAlister says . The country is still recovering from the devastating 2010 earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people and left millions homeless. Some view the earthquake as a sign of the Apocalypse , she says . Social scientists offer answers based on history , racism , environmental degradation .