1957–1971: (The Absolutism of the First Duvalier Presidency): The rise of François Duvalier initiated a fourteen-year regime characterized by the chilling as…

1957–1971: (The Absolutism of the First Duvalier Presidency): The rise of François Duvalier initiated a fourteen-year regime characterized by the chilling assertion, “I Am the State”. The authors detail the systematic consolidation of power and the use of state-sponsored mechanisms to ensure total loyalty. This period is portrayed as a time when traditional institutional checks were completely dismantled in favor of personal rule. The text analyzes how Duvalier’s political philosophy deeply altered the relationship between the citizenry and the government. The era ended in 1971 with the passing of the presidency to his son, creating a hereditary dictatorship.