ISBN: 978-1-58826-060-4 $57.00 | ||
ISBN: 978-1-58826-085-7 $25.00 | ||
2002/237 pages/LC: 2001048934 Also of interest: Haiti: Trapped in the Outer Periphery and The Roots of Haitian Despotism both by Robert Fatton Jr. |
Despite a relatively stable period since Jean Bertrand-Aristide assumed the Haitian presidency for the second time, in 1994, Fatton reveals a country in which the imperfect trappings of liberal democracy coexist with violent struggles to monopolize the few sites of public power with any access to wealth and privilege. Haiti's Predatory Republic, while recognizing the possibilities of a happier future, tells a somber story of an apparently endless transition to democracy.
"An important book that does more than any recent publication to clarify contemporary Haitian political history."—Kevin Meehan, The Latin Americanist
"Anyone proposing or implementing suggestions for programs to assist in Haitian democratization would be well-advised to read Fatton's book."—Roy Thomas, International Journal
"A recurring theme in this engrossing text is the difficulty in constructing democracy in the midst of poverty.... Fatton goes further and seeks to connect these nettlesome issues of class to Haiti's seemingly eternal curse, the sticky matter of color, in a manner that is wholly original.... For those seeking to gain a firmer grasp of present realities in Haiti, this book fills the gap."—Gerald Horne, Journal of Haitian Studies
"Ambitious and illuminating."—Peter Dailey, New York Review of Books
"Haiti's Predatory Republic is a formidable book that explains like no other the roots of the current crisis in that impoverished Caribbean country. Accessible to professionals and lay readers alike, it undoubtedly will be seen as the definitive work on contemporary Haitian politics."—Alex Dupuy, Wesleyan University