The Single Most Important Cause of the Haitian Revolution
The French Revolution was a major victory for the french people. Which created a republican government in servitude to them. However, this new way of life revealed injustices that the colored people in Saint Domingue were faced with. The French Revolution highlighted issues in relation to the rights of individuals. The future of the french government. And french colonies, therefore exposing the political, social. And economic structures that France was built on.
Since Saint Domingue was a colony of France, these structures were evident in its society. As colored people were being treated terribly and the treatment was justified by these French policies. To this day, many historians still debate on whether. The one true cause of the Haitian Revolution was the French Revolution or the treatment of slaves. Ultimately, The French Revolution illustrated the ideas of freedom and equality therefore creating motivation for the people of Saint Domingue to revolt.
The ideas of freedom and equality deriving from the French Revolution portrayed the rights. Of the colored people and the control over their lives. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, written in 1789, was aimed for the "preservation of the natural and imprescriptible rights of man," and those rights included "liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression." Although it was made to give "rights to citizens of France", the National Assembly decided that this constitution "would not apply to France's colonies."
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This decision brought awareness to the slaves about their rights that no one wanted to acknowledge. Additionally, the idea that men are "born and remain free and equal in rights" showed the slaves that being born declared their lifelong freedom therefore as a right, it shouldn't be taken away. As French people, which the 3 blacks are according to the law, they could exercise "the natural rights" of man without boundaries as long as it doesn't affect "the other members of the society," so they could have "the enjoyment of the same rights."
This showed the colored people that they could fight back against oppression because it is their natural right, allowing them to control their lives. The whites who justified the oppression of the blacks are clearly seen to be hypocrites as they are denying the rights of others to abuse their own rights. Interestingly enough, Laurent D argues that similar to the whites, the people of color are "property owners and farmers" and they "contribute to the relief of the state" by bearing "all expenses that they and the whites share."
Clearly, the whites tried to hide the rights of colored people even though their rights were equal to one another. This shows the slaves the power they have in controlling their own lives if they regained their human rights. Ideas about the right to be free, secure, and equal to everyone else helped the slaves understand their basic human rights and how they could utilize them for their own benefits.
From the manifestation of freedom and equality in the French Revolution, a divide amongst the people was created therefore producing a hostile environment in France. These ideas were created through many philosophers including Enlightenment thinkers that aided in the cause for the French Revolution. However, the relationship of these ideas to slavery caused a divide between important figures as some enlightenment thinkers "condemned slavery" because it "was a stain on the french character" and simultaneously some French Revolutionary thinkers "cautioned against abolishing the system" due to the french economy's dependence on it."
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The Single Most Important Cause of the Haitian Revolution. (2023, May 24). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/the-single-most-important-cause-of-the-haitian-revolution/
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