Haitian Reserve Army of Labor
a product of geopolitical, endemic, and phenomenological violence
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5195/jwsr.2025.1265Keywords:
Haiti, violence, migration, Reserve Army of Labor, capitalism, world-system, colonialismAbstract
Haiti has endured both natural and man-made violence since colonization, shaping its population into a global reserve army of labor for the world-system. This paper examines how historical and structural factors, including colonialism, political instability, and economic exploitation, have contributed to the creation of a vulnerable population appropriable as a cheap labor force. It explores how these factors, compounded by phenomenological violence—the internalization of oppression and fear—have led to widespread migration, positioning Haitians as a global reserve army of labor, particularly in industries like sugarcane production in the Dominican Republic. Through this lens, the paper highlights how migration, fueled by both environmental and systemic violence, has entrenched Haitians in labor markets worldwide.
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