In 1804, Haiti became the first colonial where slaves successfully revolted against their former enslavers. However, independence came at a steep price when the French government forced Haiti to indemnify French landowners for their lost property and former slaves. Over two hundred years later, Haiti remains one of the most impoverished nations in the world, partially due to the fact that it paid the majority of its national revenue to independence-related debts until 1948. Volume XLV staff editor Nell Fitzgerald argues that France owes Haiti reparations for forcing the young nation into an illegal contract. This post explores a potential Haitian claim of unjust enrichment against France.
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