Part 12/15:
Haiti’s emancipation exacted a brutal toll. The 1825 treaty required Haiti to compensate former plantation owners for the loss of their “property”—enslaved Africans—thus framing the nation’s independence as a debt owed to oppressors. The financial burden was compounded by subsequent American and French interventions, which sought to isolate and control Haiti through political influence, military occupation (notably from 1915 to 1934), and enforced economic dependency.
The debt and ongoing foreign interference stifled development, leaving Haiti impoverished and vulnerable to external pressures. For decades, a significant portion of Haiti’s national budget was directed toward servicing foreign debts, hindering efforts for social and economic progress.