A few years ago a French man I used to know mentioned the Haitian reparations, and could only see it as a reasonable compensation for the French people killed in the uprising (no sympathy for the preceding years of slavery).
Fast forward a couple of years, and his attitude to the Donbass was that by declaring independence, they had left Ukraine with no choice but to launch the ATO. We don't hang out any more.
I blame the french educational system for this. In France, they teach colonialism not as a destruction of all aspects of economy, culture and heritage. Instead, they teach colonialism as kind of a "bringing of civilization" to the backwards classes. With incomplete education and actually distorting history like this, it leads to these kinds of attitudes.
That's true, but I feel that once people are adults they need to take some responsibility for still holding those sorts of opinions. Not that it would have made much difference to him- most of his friends don't feel as strongly about it
I agree. There is much time to unlearn as adults. Unfortunately, most people are comfortable with the myths that surround them. That way they can live comfortably in France without having to think about how they are benefiting from the CFA zone etc etc
They killed all the whites, not just the former slavers. Except for some women who saved their lives by agreeing to sexual slavery. And they destroyed the farms that would have provided enough wealth to enrich them with a shift to free labor.
Genocide of all, not merely the slavers. Concurrent with the destruction of the farms by the Haitians. Hard to have any sympathy. Friends of mine deployed there to help. Grown men snatching food from women and children. Not a US colony, only a cyclical liability
A few years ago a French man I used to know mentioned the Haitian reparations, and could only see it as a reasonable compensation for the French people killed in the uprising (no sympathy for the preceding years of slavery).
Fast forward a couple of years, and his attitude to the Donbass was that by declaring independence, they had left Ukraine with no choice but to launch the ATO. We don't hang out any more.
I blame the french educational system for this. In France, they teach colonialism not as a destruction of all aspects of economy, culture and heritage. Instead, they teach colonialism as kind of a "bringing of civilization" to the backwards classes. With incomplete education and actually distorting history like this, it leads to these kinds of attitudes.
That's true, but I feel that once people are adults they need to take some responsibility for still holding those sorts of opinions. Not that it would have made much difference to him- most of his friends don't feel as strongly about it
I agree. There is much time to unlearn as adults. Unfortunately, most people are comfortable with the myths that surround them. That way they can live comfortably in France without having to think about how they are benefiting from the CFA zone etc etc
Astonishing history. Thank you.
Thank you.
They killed all the whites, not just the former slavers. Except for some women who saved their lives by agreeing to sexual slavery. And they destroyed the farms that would have provided enough wealth to enrich them with a shift to free labor.
"And they destroyed the farms that would have provided enough wealth to enrich them with a shift to free labor."
Haitians were not just passive observers watching their economic potential slip away.
Jean-Pierre Boyer (1818-1843) made efforts to get the Haitian Sugar industry back on its feet.
Genocide of all, not merely the slavers. Concurrent with the destruction of the farms by the Haitians. Hard to have any sympathy. Friends of mine deployed there to help. Grown men snatching food from women and children. Not a US colony, only a cyclical liability
Haiti has been a US colony for 150 years. Haiti freedom and reparations are mandatory.
Agreed. US colonialism of Haiti is another pending article.