History of the Republic of Haiti. Specifically

¶ … history of the Republic of Haiti. Specifically it will focus on the economic factors that have led to wealth, poverty, corruption and conflict in Haiti. Haiti is located on the western side of Hispaniola; the eastern portion of the island is made up of the Dominican Republic. Columbus discovered the island in 1492, and it soon became a center for French pirates. The Spanish gave up control of what would become Haiti in the 1600s and gave it to the French. The French gave African slaves on the island their freedom during the French Revolution, and eventually the slaves revolted against French rule and took control of the island in 1804. The first leader of the new country was a black general who fought against the French. General Jean Jacques Dessalines became the lifetime governor-general of the island. Unfortunately, he was uneducated, cruel, and conceited, and he proved to be a poor and violent leader. Thus, Haiti's history has always been one filled with incompetent and brutal leaders, leading to poverty, corruption, and a poor lifestyle for most of Haiti's residents.

Unfortunately, Dessalines was just the first in a long line of dictators, rulers, and presidents who have been more concerned with their own wealth and power than the health and welfare of the Haitian people and that has led to dissent, world intervention, and revolts throughout Haitian history. One author notes, "Haitians have endured a legacy of chaotic and heavy-handed rule in recent decades, and the success of democracy in Haiti is both hoped for and doubted by Haitians and the international community."

Throughout its turbulent history, Haiti has been a target of foreign intervention. At the turn of the twentieth century, Haiti was in anarchy, and the president was murdered by an angry mob. This brought in the United States Marines, who restored order and occupied the country for 19 years. In 1919, Haitian peasants revolted against the U.S. rule, and it took until 1934 for the United States to leave the country. The author of Latin America notes, "Haitian politicians and military officers were restored to their former privileges, and the following three decades revealed that Haiti had profited little from U.S. military rule."

In 1957, one of the most notorious dictators in Haitian history was elected, Dr. Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier, and he would rule the country until 1971 when he died. He did little for the Haitian people or the economy, but he ruled with an iron hand and silenced his enemies with incredible torture or death.

"Papa Doc" named his son, "Baby Doc" as his successor, for life. At first, "Baby Doc" seemed to have good intentions for Haiti. He attempted to stabilize the politics of the country and touted economic growth, bringing in foreign investments that added 80,000 jobs to the Haitian economy. However, much of the foreign aid coming into the country was skimmed off due to corruption, and most of that corruption was in the government. Author Buckman continues, "Half of all foreign loans and grants were funneled into secret accounts controlled by government leaders."

The economy was dormant and without jobs, many Haitians simply left the country looking for work. Many went to the Bahamas, and others went to the United States. Most of these people were illegal aliens desperate for work. "Baby Doc" married Michele Bennett in 1980 and she illustrated the corruption and arrogance of the government in the face of the poverty and hopelessness of most of the Haitian people. She lived in a luxurious palace, ate the finest foods, and lived like a queen, broadcasting her opulence to the people, who grew increasingly outraged over the lifestyle of their leaders. They knew the money came from shady sources and was being skimmed, and it led to anger and ultimately, revolt. Author Buckman notes, "Goose liver pate contrasted sharply with garbage, and anger started to smolder."

In 1986, the people revolted, and rioting broke out. The Duvaliers were actually flown to safety on a U.S. plane, and they still live in France. This threw the country into turbulence, and numerous presidents took office beginning in 1987, most only lasting a few months in office before they were overthrown. Another elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, only lasted nine months before he was ousted and flown to safety in the United States.

All of this political turmoil only added to the economic woes of the country. Without a stable leader, there was little economic growth and development. Most of the leaders were as corrupt as the Duvaliers had been, and the desperately poor people again attempted to leave the country and find work and solace in other countries. Author Buckman continues, "Of the Haitians who made it to the United States or Guantanamo, only about 11% were admitted as political refugees. Incredibly poor and uneducated, many of them infected with AIDS and other diseases, they were considered undesirables."

In 1993, a movement began in the U.S. To restore Aristide to power, and in 1994, with U.S. intervention, that occurred. Aristide ruled (quite brutally) until elections in 1996, when Rene Preval was elected president.

Preval really attempted to end many of the political, social, and economic ills of the country. He tried to privatize inefficient state-owned businesses, attempted to meet requirements to qualify for International Monetary Funds, and he even gave small plots of land to peasants. However, he faced a political power play from former President Aristide, and most of his attempts at reviving the economy failed. Elections in 2000 were flawed and corrupt, and Aristide "won" reelection in a seriously flawed election. Writer Scott continues, "Though both were tragic, neither the failed legislative and presidential elections of 2000, nor the subsequent coup d'etat in 2004 that resulted in the ouster of President Jean Bertrand-Aristide were particularly unique in Haiti's history."