Haiti is the only country in the world where descendants of enslaved people were forced to pay reparations to descendants of their masters for generations. Nobody knew exactly how much Haiti paid France — and at what cost to its future — until now.
basically......
“The first people in the modern world to free themselves from slavery and create their own nation were forced to pay for their freedom yet again — in cash.”
In 1825, France demanded five annual payments of 30 million francs. The first payment alone was estimated to be about six times Haiti's revenue that year. Haiti was forced to take a loan, adding to the burden and making it known as the double debt
If that wealth had remained in Haiti, we estimate, it would have added $21 billion to Haiti's economy over the last two centuries. While the exact amount is unknowable, numerous experts said that estimate was, if anything, conservative.
Others said that if Haiti had not been forced to pay the double debt, the country could have mirrored the growth rates of its neighbors across Latin America. That would put our estimate at a $115 billion loss for Haiti.
Haiti has been called a disaster. A failed state. An aid trap. But the legacy of the debt is embedded throughout the country’s systems: from education and healthcare, to its inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure
www.nytimes.com
basically......
“The first people in the modern world to free themselves from slavery and create their own nation were forced to pay for their freedom yet again — in cash.”
In 1825, France demanded five annual payments of 30 million francs. The first payment alone was estimated to be about six times Haiti's revenue that year. Haiti was forced to take a loan, adding to the burden and making it known as the double debt
If that wealth had remained in Haiti, we estimate, it would have added $21 billion to Haiti's economy over the last two centuries. While the exact amount is unknowable, numerous experts said that estimate was, if anything, conservative.
Others said that if Haiti had not been forced to pay the double debt, the country could have mirrored the growth rates of its neighbors across Latin America. That would put our estimate at a $115 billion loss for Haiti.
Haiti has been called a disaster. A failed state. An aid trap. But the legacy of the debt is embedded throughout the country’s systems: from education and healthcare, to its inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure
Haiti’s Lost Billions (Published 2022)
The staggering sum Haiti paid for its independence cemented its path to poverty.
