Similarities Between Dominican Republic And Haiti

The Dominican Republic is situated on the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola. The remaining one third of the Island belongs to the country of Haiti. While it is not the intent of this essay to discuss the complete history of the country, it is important to mention that the Haitian side of the island was colonized by France while the Dominican side was colonized by Spain. The Spanish oppressed the indigenous native population that was on the island for a long time and after three centuries of occupation by the Spanish, the Dominican Republic

Haiti had lots of challenges in running in their own government and remained unstable until today. Haiti was no longer protected by the French and were taken advantage of by other powerful countries. They were essentially trading one exploitive world power for another such as Germany who began to trade at unfair rates with the Haitian Republic. “But if the cost of maintaining power and continuing to enjoy the spoils of the state was the spoil of the nation, they were quite willing to sacrifice the nation.” (Trouillot, 1990). Merchants were fine with the financial, military and political instability of the Saint Domingue state, and had an interest in the succession politically because it meant that their jobs of exploiting the state would be more or less

As an effort to promote democracy, the United States began influencing elections in Haiti (Torgman). In 1990 with pressure mounting from the International community, Haiti held a moderately fair presidential election. With over fifty percent of registered voter participation; of that sixty-seven percent of the voters supported the new Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. This was the first democratic election ever held in Haiti since it achieved independence (Torgman). Therefore, the Haiti election was a remarkable step towards democracy.

The Dominican Republic and Haiti have had a resentment of one another for centuries. “It's an uneasy coexistence for countries whose intertwined histories of colonization, conquest and racism over the centuries have left deep wounds” (Castillo). The Haitian and Dominican relations have been disrupted and shattered since the 1400s, which has continued till today’s day in age due to the harsh treatment of Haitians, and the grudges each country has held over the centuries. This all began with the fight over the land of Hispaniola and the colonization between the Spanish and French. This has led to constant battles today between the two governments.

They succeeded with this system and Haiti was almost as successful as it was before the war. The leaders realized that they were becoming more like Europe and they didn’t like that so they changed. Around 1820 to 1840, the French plantation system died out completely. At the time, the two presidents were Alexander Petion and Jean-Pierre Boyer.

Haiti was once the first black independent republic in the world and the richest island in the Caribbean. Today Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and one of the poorest countries in the world. What could have happened to Haiti in almost two hundred years of history? The country experienced repeated civil war and foreign intervention. Haiti is not isolated from the international world. Thus, it was not out of concern for ordinary Haitians that the United States intervened in Haiti. It was out of concern for profit and stability within the United States' own backyard. The purpose of this paper is to show the negative aspect that the United States had played in the government of Haiti.

The Dominican-Haiti border looks somewhat unnecessary to someone who doesn’t know of the countries histories. Both countries are exceptionally poor and there is no way the two countries could ever come together as one. They were inhabited by different countries, and ever since then, the two countries fluctuate in race, language, economics, and culture. These differences are too deep-rooted for the two countries ever consider themselves as one. However, I do think there is optimism for the countries to work together and make each other better. For the Dominican, I think it will take a leader that is open and enthusiastic to collaborate with other countries and reach out for assistance. Each leader they have had in the past contributed to at least one beneficial thing to the country, Trujillo aided the economy, and Balaguer abetted the environment, now they need someone to support strong international relations.

The Dominican Republic and Haiti, two countries who have been at war. These two countries share the island of Hispaniola. Rafael Trujillo, the former president of the Dominican Republic, did not like the people of Haiti. On October 1937, Trujillo sent Dominican soldiers to kill the people of Haiti that lived in the Northwestern frontier of the Dominican Republic. Many people were killed on this order from Trujillo, yet to this day there is no day of remembrance of this massacre and the Dominican Republic has never apologized.

The Haitian revolution had tremendous repercussions in the social, political and economic arenas of the world, but especially for the relationship with the neighboring nation of the Dominican Republic. In order to understand the development of the Dominican-Haitian relationship after the Haitian revolution one must examine how the two colonies of Hispanola dealt with each other before it. Throughout history there has been constant stress between the interactions of these nations, yet there is no easy explanation for what has caused it. In effect, it has been an accumulation of events which has allowed for the present relationship to evolve.

The Dominican Republic and Haiti are two countries that share an island. The difficulties of two ethnicities sharing an island bring forth conflicts that stem from colonial times. Race, economics, politics and stigmas all play a role in ethnic conflict between these won cultures that have very different views on their roots. Prejudice, cultural identity issues and resentment towards Haitians is the reason why Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo massacred thousands of unarmed Haitians. This is why the two cultures still clash today.

A Roman Catholic priest by the name of Jean-Bertrand Aristide was elected president of Haiti in late 1990. Political prisoners were set free and Duvailer's Tontons were disbanded. There was much hope for the government under the new presidency, but due to the lack of confidence from the military, Aristide was overthrown in 1991.

According to the video Black in Latin America (Episode 1) Haiti and The Dominican Republic - The Roots of Division, the island is shared by both Haiti and the Dominican Republic but the two counties have astonishingly different, but closely intertwined, histories. In 1844, the Dominicans took advantage of the fall of President Boyer of Haiti, and regained their independence. The rebellion was carried out by the Trinitaria movement, founded by Juan Pablo Duarte in 1838. The Haitians repeatedly tried to invade the new nation; their last attempt only ended in 1855. A boundary agreement was finally signed between the two nations in 1936, establishing the definitive border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Though the colony was returned to Spain in 1809, weak support led to a decay in colonial infrastructure, leading to a revolt, led by José Núñez de Cáceres and Don Manuel Carvajal, which declared “Spanish Haiti” independent. However, the new nation was vulnerable, and Boyer immediately seized on the opportunity to unite the island for security purposes, seeking to impose “Haitianization” on Santo Domingo economically and politically. Such aspects of “Haitianization” included abolition of slavery, land redistribution, settlement of Haitians, and forced cultivation of crops in a region dominated by cattle ranchers. (Moya Pons 123, 133) An insurrection group named los trinitarios seized on the discontent of the Dominican people in the 1830s and 1840s, leading to independence in 1844. (Black 19)

The caribbean is where a small island, contains two countries within its borders and a long history of conflict. Haiti and the Dominican Republic are two different country, with completely different cultures, from religion, to the food they eat, Two countries, with two different, yet correlating stories. A story of conflict is what unites these two countries. This paper will attempt to analyse that story, and answer how this small island came to be divided into two countries, and inhabited by two peoples of such different cultures. This paper will also take a small look at the results of this history, and it’s effects on both countries.

Dominican Republic and Haiti: A Comparison of How One Island Has Two Complete Different Ends