DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - How did the D.R leave Haiti so much Behind?

**xpllmr** · 10-08-2010, 11:12 PM

the haiti founders didn't just give that money away expecting no return, and i know you're not so naive to think that either.

HB: can you shed some light on why haiti paid all that money to the french?

One of many sources:

Haïtian Revolution: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article

Free republic

On January 1, 1804, DessalinesJean-Jacques DessalinesJean-Jacques Dessalines was a leader of the Haitian Revolution and the first ruler of an independent Haiti under the 1801 constitution. He was autocratic in his rule and crowned himself Emperor of Haïti in 1805....
, the new leader under the dictatorial 1801 constitution, declared Haiti a free republic. Haiti was the first independent nation in Latin America, the first post-colonial independent black-led nation in the world, and the only nation whose independence was gained as part of a successful slave rebellion. The country was crippled by years of war, its agriculture devastated, its formal commerce nonexistent, and the people uneducated and mostly unskilled.

Haiti agreed to make reparations to French slaveholders in 1825 in the amount of 150 million francs, reduced in 1838 to 60 million francs, in exchange for French recognition of its independence and to achieve freedom from French aggression. This indemnity bankrupted the Haitian treasury and mortgaged Haiti's future to the French banks providing the funds for the large first installment, permanently affecting Haiti's ability to be prosperous.

The end of the Haitian Revolution in 1804 marked the end of colonialism in Haiti, but the social conflict cultivated under slavery continued to affect the population. The revolution left in power an affranchiAffranchiThe word affranchi in the context of Haiti and other French Caribbean colonies meant specifically an emancipated slave. Some whites used the term more generally to refer to all free people of color , even those born free. Most free people of color were mulattoes, or of mixed race...
élite as well as the formidable Haitian army. France continued the slavery system in MartiniqueMartiniqueMartinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . It is an overseas department of France. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados. As with the other overseas departments, Martinique is also one of the twenty-six regions of...
and GuadeloupeGuadeloupeGuadeloupe is an archipelago located in the eastern Caribbean Sea at , with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres . It is an overseas department of France. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe is also one of the twenty-six regions of France and an integral part of the Republic...
. Great Britain was able to abolish its slave trade in 1807 and in 1833 abolished slavery completely in the British West IndiesBritish West IndiesThe term British West Indies refers to territories in and around the Caribbean which have been or were at one time colonised by the United Kingdom. Collectively these territories are also now known as the Anglophone Caribbean...
. France formally recognized Haiti as an independent nation in 1834, as did the United States in 1862.
Haitians were "free" all right. Free to starve to death while the French robbed their grandchildren's grandchildren. The "debt" wasn't "paid" until 1947.

10-08-2010, 11:12 PM	#20
xpllmr Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 875 Senior Member	the haiti founders didn't just give that money away expecting no return, and i know you're not so naive to think that either. HB: can you shed some light on why haiti paid all that money to the french? One of many sources: Haïtian Revolution: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article Free republic On January 1, 1804, DessalinesJean-Jacques DessalinesJean-Jacques Dessalines was a leader of the Haitian Revolution and the first ruler of an independent Haiti under the 1801 constitution. He was autocratic in his rule and crowned himself Emperor of Haïti in 1805.... , the new leader under the dictatorial 1801 constitution, declared Haiti a free republic. Haiti was the first independent nation in Latin America, the first post-colonial independent black-led nation in the world, and the only nation whose independence was gained as part of a successful slave rebellion. The country was crippled by years of war, its agriculture devastated, its formal commerce nonexistent, and the people uneducated and mostly unskilled. Haiti agreed to make reparations to French slaveholders in 1825 in the amount of 150 million francs, reduced in 1838 to 60 million francs, in exchange for French recognition of its independence and to achieve freedom from French aggression. This indemnity bankrupted the Haitian treasury and mortgaged Haiti's future to the French banks providing the funds for the large first installment, permanently affecting Haiti's ability to be prosperous. The end of the Haitian Revolution in 1804 marked the end of colonialism in Haiti, but the social conflict cultivated under slavery continued to affect the population. The revolution left in power an affranchiAffranchiThe word affranchi in the context of Haiti and other French Caribbean colonies meant specifically an emancipated slave. Some whites used the term more generally to refer to all free people of color , even those born free. Most free people of color were mulattoes, or of mixed race... élite as well as the formidable Haitian army. France continued the slavery system in MartiniqueMartiniqueMartinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . It is an overseas department of France. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados. As with the other overseas departments, Martinique is also one of the twenty-six regions of... and GuadeloupeGuadeloupeGuadeloupe is an archipelago located in the eastern Caribbean Sea at , with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres . It is an overseas department of France. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe is also one of the twenty-six regions of France and an integral part of the Republic... . Great Britain was able to abolish its slave trade in 1807 and in 1833 abolished slavery completely in the British West IndiesBritish West IndiesThe term British West Indies refers to territories in and around the Caribbean which have been or were at one time colonised by the United Kingdom. Collectively these territories are also now known as the Anglophone Caribbean... . France formally recognized Haiti as an independent nation in 1834, as did the United States in 1862. Haitians were "free" all right. Free to starve to death while the French robbed their grandchildren's grandchildren. The "debt" wasn't "paid" until 1947.
	Quote