Before the dawn of the Haitian Revolution, the slaves of Saint-Domingue had long been oppressed by the largely unjust and brutal plantation owners who controlled them. Slaves were unduly beaten for seemingly petty reasons and forced to live in constant suppression. The average African slave died within three years of being imported to Saint-Domingue because of the inhumane and unreasonable conditions in which they were forced to live. After years of the slaves continuing this vicious cycle, the seeds of rebellion were at last sown among the slave community. As the stirrings of revolt spread, the slaves chose to initiate their first movement of revolution using violent means. They attacked their masters, burned their plantations, and devastated crops, essentially returning the thoughtless actions of cruelty that had been doled out to them in the past by their masters. One could say that the violent course of action that they chose could be justified by the fact that they were slaves, and thus their cries of oppression would most likely not be heard through peaceful means. So was there a possible way to achieve their freedom without the violence involved? Was violence inevitable? In these circumstances, their use of violence was justifiable. In the society of Saint-Domingue, there was a very great difference in not only education, but also lifestyle and economics. There was a total disconnect between the very wealthy plantation owners and the destitute slaves from whom they made a profit. It was this disconnect between the two groups that perhaps led the slaves to seek violence in order to obtain their liberty. Since the wealthy plantation owners did not look upon the slaves as equals, the two groups would not be able to rationalize peacefully about the prospect of freedom for slaves. The slaves' sentiments would most likely be ignored. Perhaps freed blacks and the colored elite could negotiate with the white elite, but even they had slaves of their own. Thus, since the slaves were not in a position to negotiate with their oppressors as equals, violence was the only course in which they could be recognized. In most cases, peaceful arrangement would be preferred, but since the slaves were so oppressed and downtrodden, violence was the only way that they could gain power over their masters and succeed in their mission of liberty. As we learned, it was only after the slaves instilled fear in their masters through violence that they gained power and control. Therefore, violence in the slaves' case, was inevitable in order for them to gain their independence.
Some questions to think about: But was there an alternative to violence? In general, is violence usually the inevitable route? Was there anything the slaves could have done to promote a more peaceful revolution?
First picture : blackpast.org
Second Picture -formaementis.wordpress.com
Third Picture -latinamericanstudies.org
