1811 (Natural Rights and the Foundation of Empires): The Haytian leadership asserted that they were exercising the “privileges of men” derived from nature by…
1811 (Natural Rights and the Foundation of Empires): The Haytian leadership asserted that they were exercising the “privileges of men” derived from nature by choosing to found an hereditary monarchy in the New World. They drew parallels to historical “extraordinary men” who, as the sole artisans of their own fortunes, used the vigor of their understanding to found empires and civilize their people. The Council argued that by re-conquering their liberty and independence, the Haytian people had earned the right to decide their own form of government and future destiny. They sought to prove that genius and the ability to govern were not the exclusive preserve of any one race or region. This declaration was intended to validate the Haytian monarchy as a legitimate peer to the established empires of Europe.