Education Establishment - Course
In the middle of the 17th - 18th centuries, Haiti lived difficult times on the path to the independence from France. On the eve of the French Revolution, San Domingo was a sharp arena of struggle between different interests and social forces. Revolution stimulated the further aggravation of the struggle. Those years glorified the names of the most successful fighters for the right of blacks and independence of Haiti. The essay discusses Toussaint L'Ouverture as one of the most famous black revolutionists and a divisive political figure in the history of Haiti.
During the times of the Haitian revolution, Toussaint L'Ouverture was its leader. In fact, L'Ouverture by himself organized the uprising of slaves in Haiti. His military capacities and political grip transformed a society of slaves in an independent state. He became a Governor-General for life, but in a few years was departed to France, where died in 1803. Napoleon’s actions towards L'Ouverture could be justified and explained by the strong desire of the Emperor to build a strong colonial metropolis, whereas, the success of the revolution in Haiti changed the concept of the institution of slavery in the whole world of that time.
L'Ouverture was a divisive figure. For slaves on plantations in the Americas and Caribbean colonies, Toussaint was a hero to admire. He had a lot of followers among the slaves. However, for slave traders and planters he was a thief and villain, which they sharply condemned for the problems he created for their affairs. For philosophers, he became an advanced thinker, who proclaimed the idea of freedom. For military strategists, he became a skillful commander, and a “servant, who won the battle with Napoleon Bonaparte”. During the revolution, one hundred thousand Black slaves began to destroy the plantations, were burning houses and killing whites. Due to the high level of violence in the rebellion, many historians condemn L'Ouverture for his harsh methods. However, according to Geggus and Fiering, looking at the rebellions in Guinea and Ivory Coast, which also used to be French colonies, it is evident that black aggression, anger and violence were flourishing there, because the French behaved with blacks outrageously.
At the end of the 18th century, San Domingo was the richest colony of France. It was the main source of wealth for its metropolis, which had brutally oppressed black slaves in Haiti and continued to use their labor. Toussaint L'Ouverture became a leader of the revolution. Despite the divisive views on his personality, his victory over Napoleon brought to the colony its independence.
Bibliography
Geggus, David Patrick., and Norman Fiering. The World of the Haitian Revolution. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2009.
