Prior to understanding the present economic situation in Haiti, it is essential to understand Haiti’s colonial history. Under French rule in the 1700’s, Haiti was one of the most profitable colonies in the western hemisphere and represented a large amount of France’s economy. Farmer (2004), mentions “the current crisis in Haiti, is impacted from the overall history in the 18th century, it became France’s most valuable colonial possession, and one of the most brutally efficient slave colonies.” In addition, a large part of Haiti’s economy was known for its dominance in sugar and coffee production. However, much of Haiti’s wealth and natural resources were extracted by brutal exploitation of Haitians through the use of slavery in particular.
