Much of the reparations debate has revolved around whether the United States and the United Kingdom should finally compensate some of their citizens for the economic and social costs of slavery that still linger today. In November 1825 the first French consul presented his credentials to President Jean-Pierre Boyer. Marlene Daut does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Former French presidents, from Jacques Chirac, to Nicolas Sarkozy, to François Hollande, have a history of punishing, skirting or downplaying Haitian demands for recompense. The insurrection movement ultimately became the only successful slave revolution in history. [5] After the death of Louverture, Jean-Jacques Dessalines stood as leader of the independence struggle and continued battling French forces. Afterwards, the French government demonstrated once again its understanding of slavery’s relationship to economics when it took it upon itself to financially compensate the former “owners” of enslaved people. Haiti's servile revolution was a frightful model to these powerful nations. Although the indemnity helped secure Haiti’s political independence, it imposed a crushing economic burden that weighed heavily on future generations. While much attention has been given to African Americans’ twentieth-century engagement with Africa, East Asia, and the Communist International, Brandon R. Byrd places Haiti … [17] France's main exports to Haiti include: manufactured products, clothing, mechanical equipment, dairy products, and medicines. Remember that the U.S., France, Britain and Spain were all still slave nations. In October 1806, the country was split into two, with Alexandre Pétion ruling in the south and Henry Christophe ruling in the north. The sum was meant to compensate the French colonists for their lost revenues from slavery. Carolyn Fick, The Making of Haiti: The Haitian Revolution from Below. Once Christophe died in October 1820, Boyer was able to reunify the two sides of the country. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, due largely to its history of colonization, occupation and exploitation by Spain, France and the United States. In Martinique and Guadeloupe, in contrast, where more than 80% of the population is of African descent, the poverty rates are 38% and 46%, respectively. Haiti is also known for its illegal drug business with its clients spread all over Central and South America, Europe and the United States. The issue of reparations for slavery has also resurfaced. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter. [12], Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between, both nations have signed several agreements and treaties, such as an agreement on commerce (1958); treaty on trade (1959); agreement on air transportation between both nations (1965); agreement on cultural, scientific and technical cooperation (1972); convention on the protection of investments (1973); cooperation on tourism (2007) and an agreement on joint research and of professional training (2015). It was extortion. Write an article and join a growing community of more than 123,000 academics and researchers from 3,941 institutions. The Haitian people suffered the brunt of the consequences of France’s theft. In 1793, France sent as an envoy Léger-Félicité Sonthonax to maintain control and stabilize the colony from the revolution. In October 1806, the country was split into two, with Alexandre Pétion ruling in … Jefferson refused to recognize Haitian independence, a policy to which U.S. Federalists also acquiesced. A facsimile of the bank note for the 30 million francs that Haiti borrowed from a French bank. Although France recognized Haitian independence in 1825, Haitians would have to wait until 1862 for the United States to recognize Haiti’s status as a sovereign, independent nation. In May 2015, when French President François Hollande became only France’s second head of state to visit Haiti, he admitted that his country needed to “settle the debt.” Later, realizing he had unwittingly provided fuel for the legal claims already prepared by attorney Ira Kurzban on behalf of the Haitian people – former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide had demanded formal recompense in 2002 – Hollande clarified that he meant France’s debt was merely “moral.”. Christophe, having made himself a king in 1811, remained obstinate in the face of France’s exposed plan to bring back slavery. [10] On 17 April 1825 an agreement was made between the two nations. After the Nine Years' War in 1697, the Spanish Empire ceded the western portion of Hispaniola with the signing of the Treaty of Ryswick that same year. France, as the former colonizer of Haiti, retained strong economic and diplomatic ties with the Haitian Government. As France and the United States negotiated the Louisiana purchase, Haiti became an independent country run by the victorious former slaves. He issued a decree stating France would recognize Haitian independence but only at the price of 150 million francs – or 10 times the amount the U.S. had paid for the Louisiana territory. A series of national reforms sweep through France from September 1793 through October 1795. Using this number as his compass, Pétion proposed paying the same amount. The poverty rate in Haiti is even more dire at 59%. France threatened to invade Haiti and sent 12 war ships to the island nation. In the 1824 Franco-Haitian Agreement, France agreed to recognize Haitian independence if Haiti paid a large indemnity. Several Haitian Presidents ousted from power sought refuge in France, such as Presidents Jean-Pierre Boyer, Lysius Salomon, Franck Lavaud and Jean-Claude Duvalier. This article was truly helpful in terms of understanding the backgrounds of Haiti's culture and history as a whole. In 1803, Napoléon had sold Louisiana to the United States for 15 million francs. Haiti thus emerged as the first black republic in the world, and the second nation in the western hemisphere (after the United States) to win its independence from a European power. France–Haiti relations are foreign relations between France and Haiti. The measures include the abolition of colonial slavery, economic measures to aid the poor, and support for public education. From 1789 to 1799, France underwent a revolution.The revolution in France had great implications in Haiti. Soon afterwards, Napoleon's brother-in-law General Charles Leclerc asked to meet Louverture to discuss terms. Prior to gaining its independence in 1804, Haiti was the French colony of Saint-Domingue. [4] In 1802, General Napoleon Bonaparte sent 40,000 French and Polish troops to Hispaniola. The colony of Saint-Domingue, geographically roughly the same land mass that is today Haiti, was the richest colony in the West Indies and probably the richest colony in the history of the world. 7 February 1794 France occupied the rest of Saint Kitts, took control of Guadeloupe and Martinique in 1635, and in 1697 formally annexed Saint-Domingue (Haiti), the western third of Hispaniola, which for about half a century had been occupied by buccaneers and French settlers. Despite the fact that both of Haiti’s rulers were veterans of the Haitian Revolution, the French had never quite given up on reconquering their former colony. It was a deception and Louverture was seized and deported to France where he died in April 1803. I spend most of my vacation in my family's town of Paillant, which is quiet and very calming, compared to the capital. With the threat of violence looming, on July 11, 1825, Boyer signed the fatal document, which stated, “The present inhabitants of the French part of St. Domingue shall pay … in five equal installments … the sum of 150,000,000 francs, destined to indemnify the former colonists.”, Newspaper articles from the period reveal that the French king knew the Haitian government was hardly capable of making these payments, as the total was more than 10 times Haiti’s annual budget. '. The best-known history of the Haitian Revolution in English, first published in 1938. More moderate leaders came and went, eventually replaced by Napoleon, who ruled France with dictatorial powers. On January 1, 1804, Dessalines declared the nation independent and renamed it Haiti. Saint-Domingue became France’s wealthiest colony up until 1791 when slaves, free blacks and mulattoes launched an organized rebellion. And because the indemnity Haiti paid to France is the first and only time a formerly enslaved people were forced to compensate those who had once enslaved them, Haiti should be at the center of the global movement for reparations. However, even with the obstacle of Christophe gone, Boyer repeatedly failed to successfully negotiate France’s recognition of independence. Professor of African Diaspora Studies, University of Virginia. I’m a specialist on colonialism and slavery, and what France did to the Haitian people after the Haitian Revolution is a particularly notorious examples of colonial theft. A meaningful way to honor Black History Month is by questioning Canada’s role in a country born in struggle to make Black Lives Matter. In 1697 France gained control of the western third of the island and named its new territory Saint-Domingue. Contemporary assessments, furthermore, reveal that with the interest from all the loans, which were not completely paid off until 1947, Haitians ended up paying more than twice the value of the colonists’ claims. The rest of the world seemed to agree that the amount was absurd. Both nations are members of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, United Nations, and the World Trade Organization. In exchange, France recognized the Republic of Haiti and restored trade relations. The 1838 revision, inaccurately labeled “Traité d’Amitié” – or “Treaty of Friendship” – reduced the outstanding amount owed to 60 million francs, but the Haitian government was once again ordered to take out crushing loans to pay the balance. Recognizing the gravity of this scandal, French economist Thomas Piketty acknowledged that France should repay at least US$28 billion to Haiti in restitution. Haiti is an independent nation in the Caribbean that occupies the western part of the island of Hispaniola, with the Dominican Republic to the east. Still, the new French king sent another expedition in 1838 with 12 warships to force the Haitian president’s hand. On 1 January 1804, Dessalines declared independence for Saint-Domingue and renamed the new nation 'Haiti'. For the 'crime' of shaking off the yoke of involuntary servitude in 1825, Haiti dutifully paid France reparations over the course of nearly six generations – with interest. And while Christophe had been busy developing a national school system during his reign, under Boyer, and all subsequent presidents, such projects had to be put on hold. 18. Boyer held office until his overthrow in 1843 by a … Human trafficking, especially of children, is also prevalent. Just as the legacy of slavery in the United States has created a gross economic disparity between Black and white Americans, the tax on its freedom that France forced Haiti to pay – referred to as an “indemnity” at the time – severely damaged the newly independent country’s ability to prosper. France renounced all attempts to re-conquer Haiti and recognized Haiti as an independent nation after Haiti agreed to pay France 150 million gold francs in indemnity to the former colonists within five years. Boyer levied draconian taxes in order to pay back the loans. The island was initially claimed by Spain, which later ceded the western third of the island to France. The Haitian Revolution was the only successful revolt by enslaved Black people in history, and it led to the creation of the second independent nation in the Western Hemisphere, after the United States. As a work of history, James’s book is now badly outdated. Pétion died suddenly in 1818, but Jean-Pierre Boyer, his successor, kept up the negotiations. From 1789 to 1799, France underwent a revolution. In August 1791, slaves in the northern region of Haiti staged a revolt which would be known as the Haitian Revolution. Yet, somehow, in the 19th century, the thinking went that the former enslavers of the Haitian people needed to be compensated, rather than the other way around. In February 1793, Haitian leader Toussaint Louverture joined Spanish forces in fighting the French. These discrepancies are the concrete consequence of stolen labor from generations of Africans and their descendants. [14], In February 2010, French President Nicolas Sarkozy paid a visit to Haiti, the first by a French President. [1] In 1663, French settlers founded a colony in Léogâne, on the western portion of Hispaniola. In 1801, Louverture defeated the Spanish in Santo Domingo and emancipated the slaves of the territory. Copyright © 2010–2021, The Conversation US, Inc. Alfred Nemours Archive of Haitian History, University of Puerto Rico. On April 17, 1825, the French king suddenly changed his mind. The sixth-largest death toll in history happened in Haiti in 1963, when Hurricane Flora hit it, causing almost 8000 deaths.. 19. [2] In 1793, France sent as an envoy Léger-Félicité Sonthonax to maintain control and stabilize the colony from the revolution. In metropolitan France 14.1% of the population lives below the poverty line. [4] In October 1793, Sonthonax emancipated the slaves in all of Haiti. Inspired in large part by the French Revolution, diverse groups in the colony of Saint-Domingue began fighting against French colonial power in 1791. [Deep knowledge, daily. [6], France officially acknowledged Haitian independence in 1824. To deny that the consequences of slavery were also material is to deny French history itself. I’m a specialist on colonialism and slavery, economic disparity between Black and white Americans, Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter, Lepelletier de Saint-Remy, 'Étude Et Solution Nouvelle de la Question Haïtienne. [15] In May 2015, French President François Hollande paid an official visit to Haiti and promised US$145 million in development projects within the island nation. [17], Diplomatic relations between the French Republic and the Republic of Haiti, M. Degros, Création des postes diplomatiques et consulaires, Revue d’histoire diplomatique, 1986; in French, J-F. Brière, Haïti et la France, 1804-1848 : le rêve brisé, Paris, Karthala 2008; in French, Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, To Heal Haiti, Look to History, Not Nature, "La première ambassade française en Haïti", France Asked to Return Money ‘Extorted’ From Haiti, La première ambassade française en Haïti (in French), Les relations franco-haïtiennes (in French), France Diplomatie: Agreements and Treaties with Haiti (in French), France Is Seeking Support in U.N. For Tightening Sanctions on Haiti, Haiti promised €230m as Nicolas Sarkozy visits former colony, French President Hollande pledges Haiti investment, French Ministry of the Economy: Haiti (in French), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=France–Haiti_relations&oldid=1011739621, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 12 March 2021, at 15:31. President Sarkozy also announced the cancellation of €56 million Euros debt owed by Haiti to France. In contrast, Pétion, the ruler of the south, was willing to negotiate, hoping that the country might be able to pay France for recognition of its independence. Forced to borrow 30 million francs from French banks to make the first two payments, it was hardly a surprise to anyone when Haiti defaulted soon thereafter. James sees the Haitian Revolution as a black version of the revolution in France. [13], Since independence, France continued to play an important role in Haitian affairs. France became the first nation to recognize its independence. After the battle of Battle of Vertières in November 1803, France abandoned all hope of retaining control over the colony. Threatening war, the most prominent member of Christophe’s cabinet, Baron de Vastey, insisted,“ Our independence will be guaranteed by the tips of our bayonets!”. But to me, there’s never been a more clear-cut case for reparations than that of Haiti. In Haiti today Ottawa is supporting a government that is reviving the specter of the infamous Papa Doc and Baby Doc Duvalier dictatorship.More than two centuries ago Africans in Saint-Domingue rose up against the most barbaric of all the slave And whereas the median annual income of a French family is $31,112, it’s only $450 for a Haitian family. Haiti, whose population is almost entirely descended from African slaves, won independence from France in 1804, making it the second country in the Americas, after the United States, to free itself from colonial rule. ], “Any indemnification of the ex-colonists,” Christophe’s government stated, was “inadmissible.”. Rejection of the ordinance almost certainly meant war. The revolution in France had great implications in Haiti. “Myth of a Colorblind France,” written by Jason Johnson-Spinos and Alan Govenar and directed by Govenar, is a joyful documentary that is sentimental and hard edged at the same time. Haiti officially declared its independence from France in 1804. The resulting racial wealth gap is no metaphor. It is exuberant and informative; worshipful history and clear-eyed. [11] On 12 February 1838, a 'Treaty of Peace and Friendship' was signed between both nations. Haiti officially declared its independence from France in 1804. France instituted slavery on the island in the 17th century, but, in the late 18th century, the enslaved population rebelled and eventually declared independence. Although the colonists claimed that the indemnity would only cover one-twelfth the value of their lost properties, including the people they claimed as their slaves, the total amount of 90 million francs was actually five times France’s annual budget. Unwilling to compromise with those he viewed as “runaway slaves,” Louis XVIII rejected the offer. [2] The colony was France's most productive and richest colony, and was made to grow primarily tobacco, indigo, sugar, cotton, and cacao. In the wake of George Floyd’s killing, there have been calls for defunding police departments and demands for the removal of statues. University of Virginia provides funding as a member of The Conversation US. France belatedly abolished slavery in 1848 in its remaining colonies of Martinique, Guadeloupe, Réunion and French Guyana, which are still territories of France today. [15] During his visit, President Sarkozy promised Haiti €230 million Euros in aid after the island nation suffered its worst earthquake in its history. [4] In May 1794, Louverture left the Spanish army after they refused to free their slaves in the eastern part of Hispaniola. France named the colony Saint-Domingue. By the time of the French Revolution Haiti was producing more than half of all the coffee produced in the world and Haiti was producing 40 percent of the sugar for France and Britain and accounted for 40 percent of France's foreign trade at a time when France was the dominant economy of Europe. This was not diplomacy. Talks, however, continued to stall due to Christophe’s stubborn opposition. Moreover, researchers have found that the independence debt and the resulting drain on the Haitian treasury were directly responsible not only for the underfunding of education in 20th-century Haiti, but also lack of health care and the country’s inability to develop public infrastructure. Haiti is truly a beautiful country and the people are amazing. Haiti's main exports to France include: fruits and vegetables, beverage plants (cocoa and coffee), distilled alcoholic beverages (rum), ready meals, and spice plants. [16], In 2017, trade between both France and Haiti totaled €69 million Euros. 4 February 1794 The Convention officially abolishes in France and French territories, including Saint-Domingue. In August 1791, slaves in the northern region of Haiti staged a revolt which would be known as the Haitian Revolution. He responded to the pleas of the plantation owners by reinstating slavery in the French colonies, once again plunging Haiti into war. Baron de Mackau, whom Charles X sent to deliver the ordinance, arrived in Haiti in July, accompanied by a squadron of 14 brigs of war carrying more than 500 cannons.

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