Apparently not all of Haiti's political & economic problems were caused by Haitians themselves

The most pressing Haiti related issue, for the moment, is rescue & recovery from the devastation brought about by the recent earthquake. Go here (Yele Haiti), here (American Red Cross), here (Doctors Without Borders), and here (USAID) to find out more about how to help.

About the other big problems in Haiti, from this article at The Seattle Times:

"The fact is that many of Haiti's problems today stem from the response of nations that saw its insurrection as a threat or a taunt. In 1825, the French engaged in a bit of gunboat diplomacy and demanded that Haiti pay compensation of some 150 million francs — a sum derived by figuring the value of the property, in the form of slaves and land, that French planters had lost — or face a total economic blockade. This amount was roughly equal to 10 years' worth of total revenue in Haiti.

By the end of the 19th century, Haiti's payments to France still consumed around 80 percent of the national budget. One generation of Haitians had bought its freedom with its blood, and the generations that followed had to pay cash.

In the 20th century, the United States twice occupied Haiti, once from 1915 to 1934, with soldiers bringing the attitudes of the Jim Crow South along for the trip; and again from 1994 to 2000, the second time with arguably better intentions but ambiguous objectives and, consequently, poor results.

Many have argued that the "structural adjustment" imposed on Haiti by the International Monetary Fund in the 1990s led to the liquidation of state assets but promoted little in the way of private investment and, it almost goes without saying, did nothing to benefit the average Haitian. Is it any wonder that the country is characterized by crushing poverty and political instability?"

Read more at The Seattle Times.