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The Early Haitian State and the Question of Political Legitimacy

American and British Representations of Haiti, 1804—1824

Palgrave Macmillan

Authors:

  • Shows the importance of the first leaders and governments after Haiti’s Declaration of Independence in American and British debates surrounding political legitimacy
  • Argues that while race was a significant factor in the negative depictions of the early Haitian leaders by transatlantic commentators, this hostility was also reflective of a broader reaction to changes in governance and political leadership throughout the Atlantic world
  • Draws on a range of revolutionary and counter-revolutionary writers across literature, newspapers and periodicals to explore how the Haitian state was depicted in America and Britain

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Political History (PSPH)

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Table of contents (7 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-ix
  2. Introduction

    • James Forde
    Pages 1-24
  3. Conclusion

    • James Forde
    Pages 189-196
  4. Back Matter

    Pages 197-218

About this book

This book explores the different ways in which the early Haitian state was represented in print culture in America and Britain in the early nineteenth century. This study demonstrates that American and British arguments about the most effective forms of governance and political leadership impacted how Haiti’s early leaders were presented to transatlantic audiences. From the end of the Haitian Revolution and the moment that Haitian independence was declared in 1804, conservatives and radical thinkers on both sides of the Atlantic used Haiti and its early leaders as central frames of references in discussions of political legitimacy. Against the backdrop of a vibrant and volatile age of revolutions, the different forms of governance adopted by Jean Jacques Dessalines, Henry Christophe and Jean Pierre Boyer were used by writers, playwrights and caricaturists to either support or call into question the legitimacy of America’s and Britain’s own forms of government. 

Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of History, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia

    James Forde

About the author

James Forde received his PhD from Griffith University, Australia, in 2017, where he has also taught a range of history subjects. His research interests include transatlantic print culture in the early nineteenth century, and the impact of revolutionary movements on American and British political thought.


Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The Early Haitian State and the Question of Political Legitimacy

  • Book Subtitle: American and British Representations of Haiti, 1804—1824

  • Authors: James Forde

  • Series Title: Palgrave Studies in Political History

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52608-5

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: History, History (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-52607-8Published: 25 October 2020

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-52610-8Published: 26 October 2021

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-52608-5Published: 24 October 2020

  • Series ISSN: 2946-5176

  • Series E-ISSN: 2946-5184

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: IX, 218

  • Number of Illustrations: 1 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Latin American History, Political History, World History, Global and Transnational History

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access