Review & Outlook: Chile and Haiti: A Tale of Two Earthquakes - WSJ.com

The political and moral necessity of economic growth ought to be a commonplace observation, yet it is too commonly forgotten by those who have only known its benefits. That includes many in America who want government to impose limits on growth because growth often brings with it the tumult of disruptive change. They think prosperity is guaranteed, when in fact it must be earned every day and can vanish over time under the wrong policies and corrupt governance.

The rich can usually find a way to protect themselves, but it is the middle class and poor who suffer most when growth flags and nations stagnate. Sometimes it takes a tragedy like an earthquake to relearn that lesson, as we've been able to see in Chile and Haiti.