Haiti formerly renounced its colonial bond with France in January 1804, as the result of the only successful slave rebellion in world history. The nation's longevity as an independent nation in the Western Hemisphere is second only to that of the United States. Over this span of almost two centuries, the nation has never known a time free of tyranny, repression, political conflict, racial animosity, and economic hardship.

The chaotic and personalistic nature of Haitian political culture combined with chronic underdevelopment to offer fertile ground for a succession of despots, strongmen, and dictators. Even the few national leaders whose election apparently reflected popular sentiment, such as Dumarsais Estimé and François Duvalier, rejected constitutional procedures in favor of retaining personal power. The popular revolt that deposed President for life Jean-Claude Duvalier demonstrated the Haitian people's rejection of parasitic despotism. At the same time, the revolt reaffirmed another lesson of Haitian history: violence has often been the only effective route to change.