The Effects of Replacement by Political Elite in the Revolutionary Americas.
Essay: The Effects of Replacement by Political Elite in the Revolutionary Americas It was said at one time that “most revolutions in the Americas merely replace the colonial rulers with a homegrown political elite.” Although the subtleties are different, this statement is valid for both the American and Haitian Revolutions. A “political elite” may be defined as a politically powerful and wealthy social class. Political elites replaced colonial rulers, and the effects of these varied economically, politically, and socially. Both American colonies and Haiti were viewed as a source of economic gain before their successive revolutions. Because of this, people in both countries were subjugated and forced to pay their oppressors as in the 13 colonies, or forsake their well-being, as in Haiti. The
revolution in Haiti (from 1791 to 1804), however, was not an economic revolution. The revolution was based on racial hatred against whites who forced them to work as slaves, and it was led by the political elite of the country. There was economic change in Haiti, however, against the will of politically-strong revolutionaries, because after the revolution the plantation owners and formally educated citizens were destroyed and Haiti relied on subsistence farming rather than on trade from producing goods of its own. Before the revolution, Haiti produced 40% of the world’s sugar and 60% of the world’s coffee, bringing in ...
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revolution in Haiti (from 1791 to 1804), however, was not an economic revolution. The revolution was based on racial hatred against whites who forced them to work as slaves, and it was led by the political elite of the country. There was economic change in Haiti, however, against the will of politically-strong revolutionaries, because after the revolution the plantation owners and formally educated citizens were destroyed and Haiti relied on subsistence farming rather than on trade from producing goods of its own. Before the revolution, Haiti produced 40% of the world’s sugar and 60% of the world’s coffee, bringing in close to $187 million per year. After the revolution, this stopped and Haiti’s average income, therefore, declined by a large amount. Although Haiti lost its trade, it became economically independent. Contrary to this, however, the economy of the 13 colonies did not change significantly after the revolution. This was because the primary sources of economic profit, people, crop producers, bankers, traders, etc. still existed after the revolution as they did before. Furthermore, the educated and rich people of the country were not removed but took power instead, such as in the Haitian Revolution. Because the American Revolution was opposing tax from the British, after the Revolution in the year 1783 this tax was relieved. There still was, however, tax imposed by the new government. And, because people in the colonies soon rioted against certain taxes, as in the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794, the aim of the political elite in America was somewhat defeated. The colonies also had an economic loss when their trade with Great Britain halted, and when it did resume, American ships were taxed heavily in the ports of their once-oppressing Great Britain. Therefore, against the will of the political elite, both countries failed in some aspects economically after its Revolution. Although there were political changes brought to the country after their revolutions, the political elite took power in government almost automatically. Dessalines was Toussaint’s servant and took power as soon as his forces defeated the French. Similarly, in the United States, General Washington became America’s first president. The constitutions of both countries aimed to prevent the same government from making the same mistakes, but both countries were weak in facing problems they did not have at the time of revolution, and, therefore had civil wars because of the failure to correct those problems. For the United States, slavery caused the civil war in 1861 and for Haiti a lack of control over the ruling (executive) branch of government enabled corrupt leaders like Dessalines to take power and force people back into plantations. Therefore, the revolutions in both countries replaced previous rulers with often-unprepared political elites. In conclusion, the political elite accomplished the fundamental goals of their revolutions, ignoring factors which could have prevented their nations from a few years of civil war and violent, uncontrolled political rivalry. The reinstatement of tax only for the benefit of the political elite in the United States and the forced labor of the Haitian citizens in Haiti because of political elite show the political elite did little to compensate for the economic effects of their revolutions and as a result ended up in almost the same positions as their oppressors. Revolutions, therefore, can be dangerous and many leaders fail to take into account the effects of their political actions and their desire for wealth or power.
