Rethinking the Haitian Revolution: Slavery, Independence, and the Struggle for Recognition

Alex Dupuy

Mar 2019 · Rowman & Littlefield

About this ebook

In this important book, leading scholar Alex Dupuy provides a critical reinterpretation of the Haitian Revolution and its aftermath. Dupuy evaluates the French colonial context of Saint-Domingue and then Haiti, the achievements and limitations of the revolution, and the divisions in the Haitian ruling class that blocked meaningful economic and political development. He reconsiders the link between slavery and modern capitalism; refutes the argument that Hegel derived his master-slave dialectic from the Haitian Revolution; analyzes the consequences of new class and color divisions after independence; and convincingly explains why Haiti chose to pay an indemnity to France in return for its recognition of Haiti’s independence. In his sophisticated analysis of race, class, and slavery, Dupuy provides a robust theoretical framework for conceptualizing and understanding these major themes.

About the author

Alex Dupuy is John E. Andrus Professor of Sociology Emeritus at Wesleyan University. His books include Haiti in the World Economy: Class, Race, and Underdevelopment since 1700; Haiti in the New World Order: The Limits of the Democratic Revolution; The Prophet and Power: Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the International Community, and Haiti; and Haiti: From Revolutionary Slaves to Powerless Citizens.