A review by brannigan
The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L'ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution by C.L.R. James
3.0
This is vital history, and my hitherto ignorance of Caribbean formative history is in hindsight slightly shameful. But then, Caribbean history for whatever reason, just isn't very mainstream or accessible here.
Anyway, the importance of the subject matter is summed up by James himself: "West Indians first became aware of themselves as a people in the Haitian revolution" (p. 305). The revolution was the birth of an entirely new culture, mixing African, American and European elements but somehow at the same time more than the sum of its parts. Not to mention the Haitian revolution was the first successful slave revolt in history.
It also deals with a fascinating place and time. Another quotation is necessary: "This was the San Domingo of 1789, the most profitable colony the world had ever known; to the casual eye the most flourishing and prosperous possession on the face of the globe; to the analyst a society torn by inner and outer contradictions which in four years would split that structure into so many pieces that they could never be put together again" (P. 46).
James writes with clear passion and demonstrates first-rate scholarship. The book also contains some of the finest anti-racist rhetoric from James but also from Toussaint and other characters such as the Mulatto Rigaud (see p. 187), and even whites such as Sonthonax. Toussaint is an inspiring guy, a latter-day Caesar (especially given his famed humility toward those he conquered). James also has an intriguing Marxist methodology, treating the conflict first and foremost as a class war, not a race war.
However, despite all this book has going for it, I can only give it three stars - primarily because, if I am brutally honest, there were parts that just dragged. It's partly my fault: I'm not a fan of military history and understandably there are huge chunks that recount campaigns and battles all over the island. I don't know, it just turns me completely off and my eyes glaze over as I can't really keep track of who is on which side and what part of the island belonged to whom (it doesn't help that all the names are French - a dramatis personae would have been appreciated). Additionally, the whole narrative is very much intertwined with the events of the French revolution, of which James assumes the reader has prior knowledge.
In all, this work is probably showing its age, and whole chapters are a bit dry. However, it's still worth reading and I'm glad I made it to the end.
Anyway, the importance of the subject matter is summed up by James himself: "West Indians first became aware of themselves as a people in the Haitian revolution" (p. 305). The revolution was the birth of an entirely new culture, mixing African, American and European elements but somehow at the same time more than the sum of its parts. Not to mention the Haitian revolution was the first successful slave revolt in history.
It also deals with a fascinating place and time. Another quotation is necessary: "This was the San Domingo of 1789, the most profitable colony the world had ever known; to the casual eye the most flourishing and prosperous possession on the face of the globe; to the analyst a society torn by inner and outer contradictions which in four years would split that structure into so many pieces that they could never be put together again" (P. 46).
James writes with clear passion and demonstrates first-rate scholarship. The book also contains some of the finest anti-racist rhetoric from James but also from Toussaint and other characters such as the Mulatto Rigaud (see p. 187), and even whites such as Sonthonax. Toussaint is an inspiring guy, a latter-day Caesar (especially given his famed humility toward those he conquered). James also has an intriguing Marxist methodology, treating the conflict first and foremost as a class war, not a race war.
However, despite all this book has going for it, I can only give it three stars - primarily because, if I am brutally honest, there were parts that just dragged. It's partly my fault: I'm not a fan of military history and understandably there are huge chunks that recount campaigns and battles all over the island. I don't know, it just turns me completely off and my eyes glaze over as I can't really keep track of who is on which side and what part of the island belonged to whom (it doesn't help that all the names are French - a dramatis personae would have been appreciated). Additionally, the whole narrative is very much intertwined with the events of the French revolution, of which James assumes the reader has prior knowledge.
In all, this work is probably showing its age, and whole chapters are a bit dry. However, it's still worth reading and I'm glad I made it to the end.