{"id":17675,"date":"2024-04-18T22:16:20","date_gmt":"2024-04-18T22:16:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ec2-54-86-215-170.compute-1.amazonaws.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/18\/haiti-the-double-debt-of-independence-2\/"},"modified":"2025-07-17T12:57:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T12:57:11","slug":"haiti-the-double-debt-of-independence-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/betatest.fokal.org\/index.php\/en\/2024\/04\/18\/haiti-the-double-debt-of-independence-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Haiti, the double debt of Independence"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article is available in four languages: French<\/a>, Creole<\/a>, English<\/a>, and Spanish<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

In exactly one year’s time, it will be two hundred years since Baron de Mackau, emissary of the King of France, transmitted the Ordinance of Charles X to the then President of Haiti, Jean-Pierre Boyer, on April 17, 1825.<\/strong><\/p>\n

As Haitians, we have a duty to remember, and we believe that revisiting this event, which marked the course of our country’s history, is an essential part of our duty to ourselves and to future generations. Let us first consider the facts of history.<\/p>\n

The loss for France of its richest colony at the end of the turbulent 18th century, the failure of the expedition to re-establish slavery, the victory of the indigenous army over Napoleon’s troops, the declaration of independence by the new state – the first and only one made up of former black slaves and a few freedmen – the sequence of these events in a relatively short space of time was intolerable for France and for all the great powers of Europe still involved in the slave trade and in slavery.<\/p>\n

For 21 years, France attempted reconquest by seeking alliances with England, Spain and the United States, and as a last resort, it chose to impose the ordinance in which it is written: \u201cWe concede under these conditions… to the present inhabitants of the French part of Saint-Domingue, the full and complete independence of their government\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

Haiti is not named.<\/p>\n

Two clauses to remember, which will weigh heavily on the future of our young republic: firstly, customs duties levied in ports, either on ships or on goods, both on entry and exit, will be reduced by half for French flags. Secondly, \u201c… The present inhabitants of the French part of Saint-Domingue will pay to the Caisse g\u00e9n\u00e9rale des d\u00e9p\u00f4ts et consignations de France, in five equal terms, from year to year, the first due on December 31, 1825, the sum of one hundred and fifty million francs, intended to compensate the former colonists who will claim an indemnity.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

On July 3, 1825, 14 warships armed with 528 cannons arrived in Port-au-Prince harbor. On board was Baron de Mackau, commissioned by King Charles X to impose France’s terms, by force if necessary… Under the threat of a naval blockade and military intervention, on July 8, 1825, President Boyer agreed to pay the indemnity. To pay it, Haiti would have to take out a loan with French banks. The whole package – the indemnity and the loan – is commonly referred to as the double debt of independence<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Over the coming months, we will be looking back at the key historical events that preceded and followed the signing of the ordinance by the government of the day and its successors, over the course of Haiti’s long 19th century, and at the analyses offered by historians from Haiti and elsewhere.[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

[1]<\/sup><\/a> We would like to salute Florence Alexis, the Curator, and the Scientific Council of the excellent exhibition held at the beginning of 2024 at the Panth\u00e9on in Paris, entitled “Oser la libert\u00e9” (“Daring Freedom”). Charles X’s ordinance was on display, along with a wealth of documentation on “Figures in the fight against slavery”. We also salute the excellent work of the Fondation pour la M\u00e9moire de l’Esclavage – https:\/\/memoire-esclavage.org<\/a> – , co-organizer of this exhibition.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

For morre information\u00a0:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Books\u00a0:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Jean-Fran\u00e7ois Bri\u00e8re. Ha\u00efti et la France, 1804-1848: le r\u00eave<\/strong><\/em> bris\u00e9<\/em><\/strong>. \u00c9ditions Karthala, 2008.<\/li>\n
  2. Marcel Dorigny, Jean Marie Th\u00e9odat, Gusti-Klara Gaillard, Jean Claude Bruffaerts. Ha\u00efti-France Les cha\u00eenes de la dette \u2013 Le rapport Mackau (1825<\/em><\/strong>)<\/em>. \u00c9ditions H\u00e9misph\u00e8res, 2021, 201 p.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Texts available online <\/strong>:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Gusti-Klara Gaillard-Pourchet. La dette de l\u2019ind\u00e9pendance d\u2019Ha\u00efti. L\u2019esclave comme unit\u00e9 de compte<\/em><\/strong> (1794-1922)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      https:\/\/heritage.bnf.fr\/france-ameriques\/fr\/dette-independance-haiti-article<\/a><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Gusti-Klara Gaillard-Pourchet. Ha\u00efti-France. Permanences, \u00e9volutions et incidences d\u2019une pratique de relations in\u00e9gales au XIXe<\/sup> si\u00e8cle<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        https:\/\/journals.openedition.org\/lrf\/2844?lang=de<\/a><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Beauvois, Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique. L’indemnit\u00e9 de Saint-Domingue: \u00ab\u00a0Dette d’ind\u00e9pendance\u00a0\u00bb ou \u00ab\u00a0ran\u00e7on de l’esclavage\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0?<\/em><\/strong> French Colonial History<\/em>, vol. 10, 2009, p. 109-124.\u00a0Project MUSE<\/em>,\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1353\/fch.0.0021<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20190430033100id_\/https<\/a>:\/\/muse.jhu.edu\/article\/266552\/pdf<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Beauvois, Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique. Monnayer l’incalculable\u00a0? L’indemnit\u00e9 de Saint\u2011Domingue, entre approximations et bricolage<\/em><\/strong>, Revue historique<\/em>, vol. 655, no. 3, 2010, pp. 609-636.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            https:\/\/www.cairn.info\/revue-historique-2010-3-page-609.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

              \n
            1. Oosterlinck, Kim and Panizza, Ugo and Weidemaier, Mark and Gulati, Mitu, A debt of dishonor. <\/em><\/strong>(April 30, 2022). Boston University Law Review, vol. 102:1247<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/bulawreview\/files\/2022\/05\/OOSTERLINCK-PANIZZA-WEIDEMAIER-GULATI.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

              Press and online videos :<\/strong><\/p>\n

                \n
              1. LA RAN\u00c7ON \u2013 THE RANSOM \u2013 RANSON AN<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                par Lazaro Gamio, Constant M\u00e9heut, Catherine Porter, Selam Gebrekidan, Allison McCann et Matt Apuzzo, The New York Times, 20 Mai 2022<\/p>\n

                French Version :<\/strong><\/p>\n

                  \n
                1. Les Milliards Envol\u00e9s<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                  https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/fr\/interactive\/2022\/05\/20\/world\/americas\/haiti-france-dette-reparations.html<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

                  \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                    \n
                  1. \u00c0 la racine des malheurs d\u2019Ha\u00efti:\u00a0des r\u00e9parations aux esclavagistes<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                    https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/fr\/2022\/05\/20\/world\/haiti-france-dette-reparations.html<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

                    \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                    Creole version\u00a0:<\/strong><\/p>\n

                      \n
                    1. Milya Ayiti p\u00e8di yo<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                      https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/ht\/interactive\/2022\/05\/20\/world\/americas\/ayiti-lafrans-esklavaj-dat-enpotan.html<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

                      \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                        \n
                      1. Rasin miz\u00e8 Ayiti:\u00a0Reparasyon yo bay M\u00e8t esklav yo<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                        https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/ht\/2022\/05\/20\/world\/ayiti-lafrans-esklavaj-etazini.html<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

                        \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                        English version :<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

                          \n
                        1. Haiti\u2019s Lost Billions<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                          https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2022\/05\/20\/world\/americas\/enslaved-haiti-debt-timeline.html<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

                          \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                            \n
                          1. The Root of Haiti\u2019s Misery:\u00a0Reparations to Enslavers<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                            https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/05\/20\/world\/americas\/haiti-history-colonized-france.html<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

                            \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                            In Spanish :<\/strong><\/p>\n

                              \n
                            1. La ‘doble deuda’ con la que Francia ahog\u00f3 a Hait\u00ed en el siglo XIX<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                              Silvia Nieto, ABC Internacional, 05\/06\/2022<\/p>\n

                              https:\/\/www.abc.es\/internacional\/abci-doble-deuda-francia-ahogo-haiti-siglo-202206050338_noticia.html?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abc.es%2Finternacional%2Fabci-doble-deuda-francia-ahogo-haiti-siglo-202206050338_noticia.html<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

                              \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                              VIDEOS<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                \n
                              1. \u201cLa dette de l’ind\u00e9pendance ha\u00eftienne, un sujet tabou en France\u201d. <\/em><\/strong>Ha\u00efti Inter, 6 juin 2023<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=v_0oqN5hl1o&list=PL6XuTdsJrZQ-9RvBNOZtDJJvkrJ0Pcx-a&index=6<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

                                \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                  \n
                                1. Thomas Piketty : l’\u00e9conomie en Ha\u00efti<\/em><\/strong>. Emission “\u00c9co d\u2019ici \u00c9co d\u2019ailleurs, RFI, 19 octobre 2019<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                  https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_XQcjp_lRbU&list=PL6XuTdsJrZQ-9RvBNOZtDJJvkrJ0Pcx-a&index=5<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

                                  \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                    \n
                                  1. Why did Haiti agree to pay reparations to France after the Haitian Revolution ? <\/em><\/strong>Choices programs. 6 oct. 2021, The Haitian Revolution. <\/em><\/strong>Anthony Bogues, Brown University.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                    https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Ea2PfhCtp2Q&list=PL6XuTdsJrZQ-9RvBNOZtDJJvkrJ0Pcx-a&index=11<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

                                    \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                      \n
                                    1. La multimillonaria indemnizaci\u00f3n que Hait\u00ed le pag\u00f3 a Francia por su independencia<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                      \/\/www.youtube.com\/@BBCMundo<\/a>“>BBC News Mundo, 22 mars 2024<\/p>\n

                                      https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HJ-dHYlRj-0&list=PL6XuTdsJrZQ-9RvBNOZtDJJvkrJ0Pcx-a&index=14<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                                      This article is available in four languages: French, Creole, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17674,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[250],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17675","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nouvel-fokal-diaporama-en-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/betatest.fokal.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17675","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/betatest.fokal.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/betatest.fokal.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/betatest.fokal.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/betatest.fokal.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17675"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/betatest.fokal.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17675\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18338,"href":"http:\/\/betatest.fokal.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17675\/revisions\/18338"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/betatest.fokal.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/betatest.fokal.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17675"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/betatest.fokal.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17675"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/betatest.fokal.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17675"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}