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Haiti POLITICAL DYNAMICS
The Haitian political system has historically displayed
certain enduring features. The post-Duvalier transition,
for
example, was similar in some ways to previous crises of
succession.
Power Maintenance
According to the Duvaliers, Haiti was a republic,
wherein
power passed smoothly from father to son in 1971. In
reality,
however, the country resembled a monarchy. This "dynastic
republicanism" was merely a new variant of the traditional
Haitian system of competition among personalist factions.
The
dynastic republicanism began when François Duvalier simply
extended his term in office beyond its prescribed six
years. As
Duvalier was well aware, there was ample precedent in
Haitian
history for this move. Duvalier's immediate predecessors
all
tried to extend their prescribed terms in office
(see Politics and the Military, 1934-57
, ch. 6). After extending his
term,
Duvalier declared himself president. Nine of Duvalier's
predecessors had designated themselves chiefs-of-state for
life.
Duvalier then established the hereditary presidency.
Haitian
monarchs Henri (Henry) Christophe (1807-20) and Faustin
Soulouque
(1847-59) had attempted to establish hereditary succession
more
than a century earlier
(see
Christophe's Kingdom and Pétion's Republic; and
Decades of Instability, 1843-1915
, ch. 6).
In
short, the primary goal of most Haitian leaders has been
to
maintain themselves in power for as long as possible.
Data as of December 1989
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