Taking Haiti

In Taking Haiti: Military Occupation and the Culture of U. S. Imperialism, 1925-1940, Mary Renda “contends that the military occupation of Haiti in 1915 was no side show.  It was one of several important arenas in which the United States was remade through overseas imperial ventures in the first third of the twentieth century” (12).  Her examination into this time period explores the role of the United States as a benevolent father through paternalism.  Through a feminist lens she analyzes the importance of culture in the importance of “empire building” for the Unites States.

The way Renda weaves culture, race, and gender into her argument strengthens the case that U.S. paternalism was the ruling philosophy during the occupation.  She calls this “interventionist paternalism.”  This allowed the U.S. to appear as if they were doing what was best for Haitians, but it disguised the violence marines used in order to adhere to U.S. policies.  The language of paternalism and masculinity justified marine violence. 

This piece can be used in conversation with previous articles, particularly Abu-Lughod’s “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?”  Some of the same undertones of paternalism come through in both works.  As a way to justify war, drone strikes, etc. the United States uses the idea of saving women who are culturally different from what U.S. Americans might consider the norm.  It proved useful in 1915, and some of the same language is proving successful today.

-Briana Royster