Cultural Dualism and Political Domination

Abstract

For William Wilberforce, Thomas Clarkson, and others who fought for the abolition of slavery, Haiti was seen as a test case; the story of her independence, of black self-government, would demonstrate conclusively the wisdom of their programme.¹ Opponents of emancipation, like James Franklin, also regarded Haiti as significant, providing an exemplification of the kind of situation that would exist if slavery were abolished in the British colonies.² The former group tended in consequence to paint a somewhat rosy picture of the situation in Haiti, while the latter exaggerated the undesirable features of life in the black republic. Throughout the nineteenth century and up to the present day, Haitians have seen their country as a symbol of black independence and dignity while, on the other hand, much of what is said and written about the country by foreigners contains a significant degree of racial prejudice. Most accounts of Haiti are therefore highly coloured by the preconceptions and commitments of the authors. Nevertheless it is, I think, possible to make a more or less disinterested, if provisional, assessment of the history and present condition of the country and of the French colonial legacy in Haiti.