Patriarchy and Place in the U.S. Occupation of Haiti

April Caddell

Response 2

WS 540-01

Dr. J. Shoaff

"Patriachy and Place in the U.S. Occupation of Haiti"

     Haiti is set apart as the first country in the world to gain independence following a successful slave revolt. The rebellion lasted from 1791 to 1804, after which Haiti established itself as an independent state de judo, free from France and other European countries, such as Spain and Germany, that would have liked to have it under its control. Although setting a precedent as an independent state, Haiti would also set a precedent by experiencing first hand the reality of outside influence by European countries and the United States in spite of its being its own nation. The realities of patriarchy through imperialism and the meaning of place, both physical place and place through social hierarchy, would shape Haitian history, including through the U.S. occupation of the island-nation. 

     In Taking Haiti, author Mary A. Renda focuses on the U.S. Marines' presence in Haiti between the years 1915 and 1940 to illustrate how the occupation and its influence on U.S. culture would catapult the spirit of U.S. imperialism for years to come. A recurring theme Renda uses to describe this imperialism is patriarchy, which comes with it connotations of race, class, and gender. Gender especially denotes levels of patriarchy. A patriarchal society's idea of the male role goes well beyond just influencing the nuclear family. A father is seen as the head of a household and ultimate decision maker for the other family members, as his rationale is supreme knowledge. Patriarchy also extends to matters of state, with a patriarchal nation seeing itself as the all-knowing, best-knowing decision maker for other nations. Land is usually referred to in the feminine, Haiti being no exception, and nature itself is referred to as a woman, Mother Nature. Culture, therefore,would be the masculine, necessary dominating force that controls nature, orders it according to proper will. Haiti is that feminine nature, and the U.S. saw itself, through its occupation and imperialism, as the necessary masculine, organizing force. 

     Patriarchy also extends itself to ideas of manhood and its role in the military. Renda notes, "[v]iolence, of course, had always been part of the system; within the framework of patriarchy, it had been couched as discipline. (55)" The nature of Haiti needed masculine discipline to establish culture in the eyes of U.S. Marines. A soldier, for psychological survival, must justify brutal actions that he takes in order to act out the otherwise pointless atrocious nature of his actions. To this day, there exists a culture of patriarchy in justifying the violent presence of the U.S. military in other nations. The U.S., as father, knows best. Race also extends to patriarchy. Haiti, as a nation-state established by slaves that revolted against an institution that would continue to survive in other Western nations for years to come, was through its very existence challenging notions of Black inferiority. Through U.S. occupation and European nations' control, the basic idea was that a nation established by formerly enslaved people of color needed guidance from the more cultured white nations of the world. Even today, are not most U.S. imperialist attitudes directed toward nations of color, or nations that otherwise deviate from the established norm and ideal citizen - non-Christian, including Muslim, nations, for example?

     The obvious role of place in U.S. imperialism is the place that the military occupies. Also included in place is the United States itself, whose culture fluctuates as it's ideas of the role of the military in other countries influences the country and U.S. citizens. For example, most historians would most likely argue that the U.S. military presence in Vietnam in the 1960s and 1970s greatly influence U.S. culture, for those who either agreed, disagreed, or were indifferent to the Vietnam War. Place also includes less literal meanings, specifically the meaning of a person's place in society. With U.S. occupation of Haiti, U.S. Marines had a place very distinct from that of Haitian natives. Military presence in any country is usually to establish order, to keep people "in their place." As an omniscient father-nation, the U.S. military can be thought to teach a nation and its people to "know their place." Even when in the same physical place, the experiences and perceptions as well as levels of power make that same place quite different for individuals. 

     Through her book, Renda shows that much can be learned about the culture of U.S. imperialism through the occoupation of Haiti. Although the start of the occcupation was nearly 100 years ago, much of the culture persists in how the United States, including her military and her people, sees her role in the guidance, including by violence, of other nations.