Colonialism In The Haitian Revolution

French occupation of Haiti began in the mid seventeenth century. For the next century and a half, the people of Haiti were forced to abandon their livelihoods and instead take up residence on namely sugar, indigo or cacao plantations in order to generate exports for the French market. Conditions on these plantations were often so cruel and oppressive that the common cause of death was exhaustion. No longer able to yield to the terms of their exploitation, Haitians participated in a string of slave revolts, the most prominent of which was led by Toussaint Louverture from 1791, which paved the road for Haitian emancipation. This essay will advance the idea that colonialism has impeded the political stability of Haiti during the nineteenth century, particularly from when Haiti formally declared independence in 1804. It will cover how issues such as; despotism, conflicting economic institutions, the militarization of the political system and racial supremacy, have negatively affected nineteenth century Haitian politics. Moreover, it will also elaborate on how these issues are, in effect, actually insidious derivatives of French rule during pre-independent Haiti.

The year 1804 marked not only the beginning of Haitian independence, but also the despotic reign of the Jean Jacques Dessalines. Dessalines was originally a subordinate of Louverture himself, stepping into power only after his leader’s arrest. His obsession with autocracy led him to crown himself the ‘emperor’ of Haiti later that year. Thus, all the workings of the political system came under the control of this one man. His word was law and his decisions were narrowly open for discussion. Such is the rule of his iron fist that, in 1891, a Haitian writer observed that: ...

... middle of paper ...

...s and has thus paved the way for foreign intervention. With this in mind, it is important to note that the political insecurity all stems back from the solidification of colour lines within Haitian society – of which is not a new concept to Haiti. The issue of racial supremacy was first laid down by the French during colonial rule. Colonialists truly believed they were the ‘superior’ race in all form and manner and so it was generally understood amongst the them that “nothing good and civilized comes” out of their colonies (Nicholls 1993). Hence, the mulattoes, believing themselves to be more closely akin to the French than their Haitian counterparts, have enshrined and upheld this view even long after French occupation. For this reason, it is thanks to colonialism that there is a gradual erosion of Haiti’s political autonomy during the end of the nineteenth century.