1804, that year marks a fundamental change on earth. The richest colony in the New World, mercilessly exploited by France, St. Domingue, had concluded a revolution and placed itself on the global map that year, as Haiti. The whole world received the modern definition of freedom from this new nation. And yet how many times have we seen Haiti marginalized when it comes to its real contribution to world humanity! The prevailing mainstream narrative presents us with three crucial points about Haiti: it was the first black republic in the modern world with a successful revolution, it is the second republic founded in the Americas, after the United States, to break the chains from its colonial past, and yes, that Haiti forced France and Napoleon in 1803 to sale the Louisiana Purchase to Jefferson and America because of needed funds for France.

They had fought the Haitians and had been defeated and fought other wars too in Europe and in the Americas; therefore, they had exhausted their treasury. All these things are true, but it does not tell the whole story nor the concealed meaning behind an extraordinary society, a unique and representative revolution and a justifiably proud people.

The people of Haiti sought two elements that became essential characteristics of many modern nations: national independence and ending slavery. Haiti got rid of human slavery and started the first modern nation. The Haitian Revolution destroyed the concept and practice of modern enslavement as a legitimate reality in modern life. Europe and America had powerful anti-slavery movements and there were some resistances in Africa.

However, Haiti’s contribution played a larger role in helping the world see the need to end slavery. America fought a revolution against England for national independence but that did not include the freeing of enslaved Africans, who were building the material and economic foundations of the country. It was a dazzling freedom but mostly for white, male, Western humanity. And even then, only certain elements of the white, male and female Western humanity, had accessed to freedom. 

The English and French Revolutions had similar freedom slogans like the American Revolution. But here again, the freedom was limited and certainly did not shake up the societal order. Haiti turned society’s power structure upside down and showed that formerly enslaved Africans could be free and leaders too.

The Western order on this earth was the invention of man’s hierarchy not God. Haiti had

destroyed the bottom status of society, the hierarchical bottom, what the world had called

slavery. Universal freedom was expanded in the world. National identity was associated with modern freedom. Haiti’s freedom in the 19 th century was the most expansive freedom yet given to human beings. Haiti introduced the bottom of humanity now as the top; ruling Haitian society. All of this was done through the eyes and actions of black power.

Enslaved Africans from the United States to Mexico to Brazil knew that Haiti had done an

extraordinary thing. And Haiti was a haven for many enslaved Africans who had been runaways and other blacks who lived in maroon fellowships. The country also welcomed many of the revolutions and revolutionaries, in the Americas, even financially assisted some, especially the numerous military campaigns against Spanish forces led by the “Liberator.” Simon Bolivar was involved in several struggles for national independence: Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and Ecuador and others. Alexandre Pétion, Haitian president at the time, thought he had got a promised from these fellow revolutionaries that their national independence would include ending slavery too. But the Latin and Central American revolutionaries turned their backs on Haiti. They got their national independence without fulfilling the promise of ending slavery.

As soon as Haiti declared her independence in 1804, the country was ostracized, and the colonial powers bullied the rest of the world to stay away from Haiti. Yet the Haitian Revolution became a significant symbol to the blacks around the world. The 19th century proved to be a pivotal universe for the enslaved Africans who became free. Haiti had unleashed the full humanity and cognitive agency of the enslaved Africans. A certain black intellectual tradition got it so wrong when it proposed the notion that 19th century Blacks spent their time trying to validate or reclaim their humanity. Those intellectuals had simply failed to consider the massive influence of Haitians and the Haitian Revolution. Again, Haiti lead the way and threw down the gauntlet. It was the humanity of the West and its universality that were on trial and suspect. The Haitians mirrored their humanity and the humanity of blacks around the world.

But for the great powers, the Haitian Revolution was a disaster and a cancer. Spain, Britain, the upcoming United States, led by France were all against Haiti. From the beginning, this black kingdom was checkmated. The devotion of the great powers were to make sure that Haiti’s future was a failure. Haiti was hit with heavy trade restrictions; nobody formally would recognize Haiti. The world was waiting on France. It took 21 years for France to diplomatically clear Haiti and only after the nation agreed to compensate the former slave owners. Payment for freedom to be free! Reparations for the enslaved owners. That payback took nearly 120 years!

Then the powerful countries followed France; Britain in 1833, then United States but not

until 1862! And of course, the persistent internal meddling and the external intimidation. The actions of the outside world showed how angered, confused, and murderous the world was against Haiti, led by the European colonists and the United States.

The internal betrayal of Haiti was and still is breathtaking. In 1825, the French government with its fleet of warships in Haiti’s waters, wanted revenge and compensation from the Black nation. They got it. The French government and former slaveowners had a bill for Haiti to the tune of 112 million francs (or 560 million dollars in today’s figure). For the first 50 years, one can understand why Haiti leaders surrendered to the demand. They had fought for their freedom for nearly eleven years and though still a people with purpose, they did not want another war. Again, think; it took 120 years! The former enslaved Africans and mulattoes elites, who oversaw the country, knew that at times nearly 50% of its budget was going to France. Returning money to French and American banks for loans and high interest rates for the compensation, yet they continued to surrender and pay France. So, maintaining the human agency of these Haitian leaders, one must ask the question why not some kind of later effective and fairer negotiations with France? Why not different kinds of alliances for better leverage for Haiti? Or some kind of world organized movement in honor and to support Haiti? The culprits became collaborators with certain Haitian leaders, and together they perfected mutual interests and greedy palms. Haitian leadership seems to be bent upon helping these culprits destroy its own people.

The world now, especially the New World, is in a better position to assists Haiti and its

justifiable call for French reparations. Not too long ago, the New York Times analyzed the

money funds that Haiti gave France. Let’s consider the reverse course: what happens if those funds were given to Haiti and not France?! Supported by 14 financial historians and economists, the analysts calculated that Haiti could have added 21 billion dollars to its national budget!

Since Haiti was the first modern nation who abolished slavery when nobody else did and

introduced us to a kind of universal freedom, Haiti should have the world in its corner. However, after reading World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability by Amy Chua, I understood better why Haiti had not productively recovered from its chokehold. The financial funds from French reparations would never get to the people because they would be handled by the same, contemporary, corrupt, status-quo infrastructures. These exploitative infrastructures are products of the collusion between Haitian leaders and their so-called external enemies. The two cunning elites, internal and external, have been working together since the 19 th century. The millions and millions of dollars that are sent to Haiti each cycle are grabbed and distributed by these colluding elites. Chua, expertly and compassionately, shows that financial funds never really get to the poor because the same corrupt, status-quo infrastructures handle the management and distribution of those funds.

The Haitian Diaspora along with the courageous ones in Haiti must eschew politics and

politicians talk incessantly, since those two topics have been great distractions. Haiti needs a comprehensive, practical, economic plan and fresh infrastructures that encompass distinct economic, social and cultural sectors. The focus should be on the economic masters who control Haiti and not the political ones, politics and politicians are window dressing. They do not own the shop. The focus should be on a workable economic plan for Haiti and INTERNAL accountability! We already know about the EXTERNAL threats and accountability.

The World Bank, NGOs, French and American banks and their governments, in real

collaboration, with certain internal Haitian forces, are and have been for a long time,

compromising the financial funds of Haiti and selling off Haitian resources to the outside world.

In honor of Haiti, it is imperative that all eyes focus on some of Haiti’s most treacherous elite leaders. Overall, however, nothing will change until Haitians in Haiti, those that are in the diaspora, the rest of the blacks and others, demand and truly receive fresh, workable, moral infrastructures in a country that had real answers for freedom at the start

of the modern world.