Disproving the Hero Theory of History

The “Black Jacobins,” published in 1989, has the complete title “Toussaint L’Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution.” But the author, C.L.R. James, points out Toussaint’s (known leader of the Haitian Revolution) grave political weaknesses. He proves that other less-known leaders and the masses themselves were the true movers of Haiti’s revolution against France and for freedom from slavery. This book is an important account of a massive fight against imperialism.

San Domingo was the richest colony in the world. French, British and Spanish conflicts made governing unstable, as did warring factions of white aristocracy, plantation owners and merchants. All agreed, however, on the need for racist oppression. Weekly food rations for slaves would last three days for healthy persons, and they were often whipped to death. Many French workers, so moved by sufferings of slaves, stopped drinking coffee, thinking of it as drenched in blood and sweat.

Slaves Burned Plantations

The ideas of the bourgeois French Revolution influenced the Haitian Revolution. If all men were created equal, then slaves should be included in that too. This encouraged slaves to set fire to plantations. Toussaint, then a coachman, protected his owner’s lands, however, for an entire month.  Finally he began to train other slaves to be soldiers. He also wanted to make a deal, agreeing to reduce the number of slaves freed from 400 to 60. His tendency to give allegiance to French “civilization” and to rely on the “expertise” of white owners would continue to be major weaknesses.

Victor Hugues, of black and white descent (at the time called by the racist name “Mulatto”), commanded slaves to chase out the British. Toussaint’s army gained power over Spanish territory. The Spanish governor handed over the colony to Toussaint in 1800; Toussaint’s first decrees to reduce taxes on property and lower duty on articles of trade, benefited mainly the wealthy.  His constitution continued slave trade!  While he declared that blacks would be free on landing, he returned them to white-dominated plantations.  General Moise disagreed that blacks should still work for whites, and Toussaint executed him. General Dessalines warned, “France will try to make you slaves again.”

Even when Bonaparte (leader of France after the French Revolution) left France with 20,000 troops, Toussaint could not believe France was determined to reinstitute slavery. Bonaparte had convinced his troops they were fighting for the “revolution” against Toussaint, telling them he was a traitor, selling out to the British.

Slaves Fought Bonaparte

 While French troops were increased to 60,000, disease and guerrilla warfare began to tip the balance in favor of the slaves. The slaves fought, hurling enormous stones down from the mountains, blocking paths, and digging pits covered with branches so that horsemen perished.

In retaliation, the French drowned hundreds of people in the Bay of LeCap, burned alive and tortured blacks. Toussaint then tried to make peace. Instead, he was arrested.  Far from being intimidated by these events, Haitian slaves met increasing terror with courage and firmness.

“Mulattos” and slaves under Dessalines and Capois Death took the offensive, attacked ships, hid their boats on shores, disappeared down rivers and reappeared at sea. Lemmonier-Delafosse (a believer in slavery) documented, “What men these blacks are! I have seen a solid column, torn by grape-shot from four pieces of cannon, advance without making a retrograde step, singing; this song was worth all our republican songs.”  That was the November 1803 march on Le Cap. On December 31 the final declaration of Independence was read. This struggle led to the first victory against slavery. The slaves’ courage and confidence in the working class is a lesson we should all learn from. J