Imposing democracy and human rights from the outside : the case of U.S. interventionism in the Republic of Haiti

Abstract

The July 2021 assassination of Haitian President Moïse positioned Haiti on the precipice of increased instability, once again. Since declaring independence from France in 1804 as the first successful slave revolt in history, The Republic of Haiti has been unable to maintain stable democratic and human rights processes. Through this thesis, I explore the impact of direct American influence—through neoliberal economic policies, direct military intervention, diplomatic pressure, and international collaboration— on democracy promotion and subsequent human rights protections within Haiti. Specifically, freedom from arbitrary arrest, detention, and violence from government forces in addition to migration patterns and human rights monitoring mechanisms. This influence will be examined primarily through the election of Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 1990 and the subsequent coup d’état in September 1991, followed by the reinstallation process led by the United States and culminating in the 1994 military invasion, “Operation Upholding Democracy.” A thesis ultimately dedicated to analyzing modern challenges with historic origins.