Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The tower destroyed by the Israeli occupation in Gaza includes media offices, including Al Mayadeen's bureau.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Four fetuses and three premature babies died at Nasser Medical Complex due to malnutrition
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in the town of Burj Qalawieh, south Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The first ship of the Maghreb fleet delivering aid to break the siege on Gaza departs from the port of Gammarth in Tunisia.
Channel 12: Airspace closed at Ramon Airport due to fears of drone infiltration
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded over an aircraft infiltration in the Bir Ora area, and details are being examined
Drone infiltration sirens sound north of the Gulf of Aqaba
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out five extremely violent raids on the western areas of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out major bombings in the Gaza Strip, the most violent since October 7
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: The missile force carried out a major operation using the Palestine 2 ballistic hypersonic missile, hitting several targets in occupied Yafa.

How France extorted Haiti for its independence

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The New York Times
  • 22 May 2022 11:31
  • 3 Shares
4 Min Read

Following the slave revolution in 1791, France had generations of Haitians pay for their freedom - in cash - and threatened them with war when the money ran out. 

  • x
  • 'Black Maroon’ statue, which depicts an escaped slave blowing a conch to signal to fellow revolutionaries in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, Sept
    'Black Maroon’ statue, which depicts an escaped slave blowing a conch to signal to fellow revolutionaries in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, (NYtimes)

Before departing for France in 1789, prior to the slave uprising, the marquis purchased 21 newly captured Africans. However, because he could not specify where they were employed, the commission assessed them at an average rate, down to the cent: 3,366.66 francs.

According to government announcements of the commission's rulings, it eventually gave Cocherel's daughter, a recently married marquise, average yearly payments of 1,450 francs, or approximately $280 in the 1860s, for dozens of years.

In 1863, coffee growers in Haiti earned roughly $76 per year, according to Edmond Paul, a Haitian economist and politician at the time – hardly enough to fund one meal each day of "the least substantive foods."

Money or war

The Haitian government quickly ran out of funds. It emptied its state coffers to complete its first payment, shipping it all to France aboard a French ship, wrapped in sacks within nailed crates reinforced with iron bands. That meant there was no money for public services. To collect the remainder, the French government used the war threat. 

In 1831 the French Foreign Minister wrote that “an army of 500,000 men is ready to fight,” to his consul in Haiti and added that “and behind this imposing force, a reserve of two million.”

In response, President Boyer signed legislation requiring all Haitians to be prepared to protect the country and constructed the lush neighborhood of Pétionville, out of cannon range.

Related News

French farmers plan nationwide protest over trade, food sovereignty

Smotrich claims France and allies undermine 'Israel'

Even French officials acknowledged that their threats had persuaded Haiti's government to invest in its military rather than surrender it to France.

A letter by a French diplomat in 1832 stated that “the fear of France, which naturally wants to be paid, does not allow it to reduce its military state."

Two French envoys arrived in Port-au-Prince in late 1837 with orders to establish a new contract and restart payments. The so-called independence debt was lowered to 90 million francs, and in 1838, another vessel returned to France with Haiti's second payment, which devoured a large portion of Haiti's income once more.

According to Victor Schoelcher, a French abolitionist writer and politician, the military vacuumed up another huge share. There was little left for hospitals, public works, and other parts of public welfare after that. Education had been allocated only 15,816 gourdes or less than 1% of the budget.

French authorities understood from the start how terrible the payments would be for Haiti. But they insisted on being paid, and for decades – with a few exceptions, most notably during moments of political instability – Haiti provided the funds.

The New York Times documented every payment Haiti made during a 64-year period, using hundreds of pages of historical data in France and Haiti, as well as scores of articles and books from the 19th and early 20th century, including one by the Haitian Finance Minister Frédéric Marcelin.

Haiti's payments to France drained more than 40% of the government's entire income in certain years.

After collecting a shipment of gold from Haiti in 1826, a French captain wrote to the Baron of Mackau, "They don't know which way to turn."

“After trying domestic loans, patriotic subscriptions forced donations, sales of public property, they have finally settled on the worst of all options,” the captain wrote, adding that 10 years of inflated taxes that were “so out of all proportion to the achievable resources of the country, that when each one sells all that he possesses, and then sells himself, not even half of the sums demanded will be collected.”

  • France
  • Slavery
  • Haiti

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

American far-right activist Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025
A screengrab from the ad played on Fox News. (X Screengrab)

Fox airs ad warning Trump not to let Netanyahu 'play' him on Gaza

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Australia warned of deadly climate risks in landmark report
Environment

Millions at risk from rising seas, extreme heat in Australia: Report

DPRK leader Kim Jong Un inspects a new weapons factory in undisclosed location, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, August 31, 2025 (AP)
Politics

DPRK defies US, says nuclear state status 'permanently enshrined'

Soldier F faces trial over bloody Sunday killings after 53 years
Miscellaneous

British Soldier F faces trial over Bloody Sunday killings after 53 yrs

Pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrate at the University of Sydney to protest the Israel Hamas war, Wednesday, April 24, 2024 (AP)
Politics

Protest outside ABC decries media silence on Gaza journalist killings

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS