Haiti, State Against Nation: The Origins and Legacy of Duvalierism

From Library Journal

Trouillot efficiently covers a broad historical sweep from pre-independence through Haiti's ill-fated elections of 1987. He develops the thesis that Haitian history has been characterized by a growing separation of state from the rest of political and civil society, an alienation which reached its peak under the Duvalier regimes, when Haiti became a polarized nation "divided into two parts: the 'authorities' . . . and the others." Although Trouillot ably documents Haiti's economic dependency, he is most compelling when describing the methods of and damage imposed by the Duvaliers. He ends with a plea to integrate the soul of Haiti--its peasantry--into the nation's political life. The book will appeal to scholars interested in Haiti in particular and national development in general.
- Andrea Bonnicksen, Eastern Illinois Univ., Charleston
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