Haiti Social Class

     Haiti's most serious social problems stem from the disproportionate distribution of wealth. Although Haiti is 95 percent black, there are also racial divisions between the small mulatto elite and the larger black populations. Since colonial times, the mulattoes have functioned as the ruling class.  Having more in common with the wealthy classes of other countries, the mulattoes identify very little with poor Haitians. Underdeveloped social, economic, and political institutions - chiefly education mean that there are few mechanisms within the country to promote upward social mobility.  Another issue preventing social cohesion is the physical isolation of rural communities.