Paradise Lost: Haiti's Tumultuous Journey from Pearl of the Caribbean to Third World Hotspot

Abstract

Why has Haiti been plagued by so many woes? Why has the United States felt a need to repeatedly intervene in Haiti's affairs? Why have multiple U.S. efforts to create a stable democracy in Haiti failed so spectacularly? Philippe Girard answers these and other questions in Paradise Lost . He examines how colonialism and slavery have left a legacy of racial tension, both within Haiti and internationally, as Haitians remain deeply suspicious of white foreigners' motives, many of whom doubt Haitians' ability to govern themselves. He also examines how Haiti's current political instability is merely a continuation of two hundred years of political strife that began during the War of Independence (1791-1804). Finally, Girard explores poverty's devastating impact on contemporary Haiti. This book is different from others in the field, arguing that Haitians - particularly home-grown dictators - bear a big share of the responsibility for their nation's troubles. In addressing the current situation in Haiti by looking to the nation's tumultuous past, Paradise Lost is timely and potentially controversial.