After the devastating earthquake in Haiti in mid January it is the time for large scale action for rebuilding the country. The problem with this process after such a catastrophe is not the foreign aid but the need of people who can effectively help the native people in their efforts. Unless it's part of an organized, coordinated effort, those involved in the rebuilding process would just be another mouth to feed, draining very scarce resources. This case prompts us to ponder upon the dynamics of collective action at the time of crisis.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Collective action and Haiti Earthquake
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A financial crisis led the world leaders to meet and pledge for co-ordinated action, which they did but a catastrophic event like Haiti did not evoke such action. There has been individual assistance from nations pouring in but the scale of commitment has not been anywhere near it should have been. Is collective action proportionate to the importance of the country economically? Would it have been the same if it had struck a bigger nation? Does it mean lives of people are measured in terms of nation’s Purchasing Power Parity?
Dynamics of collective action is very important during crisis. I came across an example during fieldwork. Just after the devastating earhtquake in Kutch in 2001, there was severe need of humanitarian aid. During this hour of crisis, when people did not have food to eat or shelter to live, many private companies provided aids by sending shoes (most of them defective pieces)!!
Apart from it, some places had excess food but no medical aid, some had medical aid but no proper houses and so on. These places received things that were already abundant with them, and no supply of things which were unavailable.
Ideally countries should come forward and help like selfless utilitarians in one global collective action. However international politics ensure that every nation will help Haiti only if the cost of helping is exceeded by the returns on helping i.e. the political gains and recognition accruing out of it.
Haiti Earthquake reminds me of the Gujarat earthquake of 2001. Worst affected areas like Bhuj and Anjar saw richest of the people left with nothing. However, the fact that Gujarat recovered fast from the crisis was that, apart from NGOs and other government organizations, people of Gujarat came forward with all kinds of aids and help they could. Loss of life can never be compensated for, but spirit of people ensured that whoever survived could live a normal life again.
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