[BaltimoreSkins]

Haiti's societal corruption is well documented but they suffer from problems beyond their control as well. The french had about three times the number of slaves as the Spanish but only a third of the island. There were significantly larger population with less land and resources to start, but the bigger issue is the island has a rain shadow.

The atmosphere has to rise over the mountains in the center of the island to get to Haiti. Doing so the air, cools condenses and drops all the precipitation on the DR side, leaving less precipitation for Haiti.

Less precipitation less agricultural productivity. Less tree regrowth which is the dominant fuel resource in the country. No food and no fuel to cook it with or boil your drinking water. Your work friend is right the population exceeds the carrying capacity. Even then the corruption that would exist would make it fail.