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Haiti Perceptions of Democracy
The presidency depended on the nonparticipation of
average
citizens in the political process, except when they had
personal
ties to a power holder. Presidential contenders often
rhetorically invoked the masses in their transitions to
power;
still, the common citizen played an insignificant role in
the
day-to-day politics of the country. This situation fueled
popular
cynicism regarding elections.
Participation in the political arena, however, has
traditionally involvedgreat personal risk. The threat of
arrest,
injury, and death was very real for those who challenged
the
prevailing government. The fact that political detainees
were not
entitled to due process of law further magnified this
risk.
After the fall of Jean-Claude Duvalier, everyone spoke
of
democracy. Some Creole observers have described the
post-Duvalier
period as diyari demokratik (democratic diarrhea)
or
bambosh demokrasi (revelry of democracy). Average
Haitians
expected that life would somehow dramatically improve with
the
departure of the Duvaliers and that there would be
democracy;
however, for most Haitians, democracy was only an abstract
concept. Haitians had never experienced true democracy,
and
communities had never had a voice in the political
process.
The political role models for most Haitians emerged
during
the Duvalier era. For many people, post-Duvalier notions
of
democracy meant only a change in the factions and the
personalities of the people in power. For others,
democracy meant
their finally being able to take their turn at the spoils
system.
Some people believed that democracy meant an opportunity
to do
what one pleased--liberty without responsibility (an
attitude
noted and reproved in Toussaint Louverture's remark, "I
have
never considered that liberty is synonymous with
license"). Many
people felt that a democracy should provide everyone with
jobs,
food, and material goods. In any case, the constitutional
referendum in March 1987 and the November 29 elections of
that
same year clearly demonstrated overwhelming support for
genuine
change that would lead to a better quality of life.
Data as of December 1989
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