I dont have a personal problem with Petion. I am just

Concerning Lionne What budget your are referring to, I dont have a personal problem with Petion.

I am just interested in History, a social science, and the analysis thereof.

I just want to make sure fellow compatriotes look at Haitian history from all angles.

Before I continue, critizing the mulatre Petion does not make me a supporter of the black Aristide or his successor.

When it comes to Claude's brief synopsis, I am seriously concerned.

For someone, let's say an American who knows nothing about Haitian history, reading the synopsis on Christophe's reign gives him/her the impression Christophe was a cruel and treacherous dictator that accomplished nothing for his people and committed suicide at the end of his reign.

A synopsis must present a balance view of history otherwise it begins to sound like propaganda.

Yes, both Petion and Christophe inherited a devasted country and both had to deal with worlwide diplomatic embargo on Haiti.

However, it is an historical fact that the "illiterate (not true)" Christophe achieved economic progress because he understood the distinction between social and capital expenditures whereas the mulatto ruler Petion and his educated aides understood very little about economics.

Consequently, Petion, maybe trying to appease the black majority of the west and south, put in motion the worst government economic decision in Haiti: the distribution of small plots of land to soldiers for subsistence farming.

As early as 1807, Petion allowed corruption to reign supreme and the senate made up of mostly mulattos to squander the public treasury.

Therefore, the budget of the mulatto republic went into deficits as early as 1808. To counter the deficit, the Petion's republic circulated debased coins " monaie a serpent" and issued 300,000 paper gourdes, But things will go from bad to worst after the distribution of land. Stay tuned.

Begining 1809, Petion parceled out state land to his soldiers while his regime was already drowing in a sea of worthless paper money.

By 1814, the economy of Petion's republic was out-of-control; on revenues of on 1.1 million gourdes, Petion allowed the Senate to enact a 2-million gourde budget.

To Petion credit, before he passed away in 1818 he managed to create the Lycee de Port-au-Prince and a pension for girl
The parallel is that while the mulatto's republic was sinking into economic despair and corruption, the dictorial north of the black Christophe managed to increase trade and collect record revenues amountin to $3.5 millions by 1815.
" How was the peasant supposed to survive if it was not with subsistence farming" you said is laughable.

Subsistence farming removes all capital gain and efficiency in the economy.

Christophe managed to get around the embargo on Haiti to the extent possible by using third party traders and through american banks; he was a fu%$*ing genious.

Yes I studied the black jacobins to death because the begining tells it all; but you can test me on the other Haitian governments; I might surprise you.

Until then have a nice day
welcome to the revolution
Thanks