From Failed Unity to Long-Term Division: The Impact of Nineteenth-Century French Diplomacy on Haitian-Dominican Relations

From Failed Unity to Long-Term Division: The Impact of Nineteenth-Century French Diplomacy on Haitian-Dominican Relations

Haiti and the Dominican Republic are sometimes referred to as two wings of the same bird. However, to Dominicans the island is Quisqueya while Haitians refer to it as Hispaniola. This distinction offers a symbolic illustration of their opposing attitudes, which are usually explained as cultural differences. In this paper, I take into consideration the historical roots of these difficulties and in particular the role of France during the post-colonial era. French diplomats invested in and exploited the island‘s politicalinstability, driving the two populations apart. The research presented in this paper addresses the negative impact of nineteenth-century French diplomacy on Haitian- Dominican relations. I argue that French diplomats manipulated both sides in their efforts to gain strategic and economic advantages, which heightened tensions between the increasingly belligerent neighbors. The French exacerbated a psychological climate of resentment and mistrust between Dominicans and Haitians that hindered prospects for reconciliation between the two people, undermining future political collaboration between the two young countries.