Papa Doc: Haiti & Its Dictator

by Bernard Diederich, Al Burt

Originally published in 1970. The story of Haiti under the rule of Dr Frances Duvalier. Diederich lived in Haiti for fourteen years and had personal experience of the early Duvalier days and the period of Maloire's rule. Exposes the evil of Duvalier's rule and the tale of how Duvalier undid US policy.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

424 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

Reviews

[fake · Rating 4 out of 5]

François Duvalier was a Haitian dictator in the 1950s-60s. He prefered to call himself Papa Doc (He actually was a doctor). He ruled Haiti for 14 years with an iron voodoo fist. He declared himself "President for life". He changed the constitution and established police-state with the help of Tonton Makout militia mobs. He practised voodoo. Anti-Duvalierist guerrilla leader's head was transferred on the charter plane to the Papa Doc's palace for a voodoo interrogation. Rumours said that the dead head spoke to the dictator, confessing, revealing opposition leaders, including their house addresses. The next day the houses were raided. Whoever was there was executed, including small children. Duvalier smartly used the "communist threat" to receive US financial aids (which was the most reliable source of Duvalier's income). For 2 years Duvalier had a communist speechwriter. The guy was later accused of high treason and executed. Duvalier introduced a pension tax, which everybody had to pay. A person could receive pension money after age of 65. Average life expectancy in the country was 40. He transformed the poorest country in Latin America into true hell on Earth where people were dying of malnutrition. Before his death, Papa Doc safely passed his seat and "presidency for life" to his son.

It is a fascinating story of the longest-serving dictator of the very first independent black country in the world. Papa Doc is pictured as a lucky opportunist without any idealogy ruling the country from the luxury palace on top of the mountain of dead bodies; ready to change his mind for the sake of the political occasion; killing anyone who could be at least a minor threat to his power. His story is both typical (all these dictators share the same traits) and very unique. The uniqueness is all about Haiti, a beautiful country with problematic colonial history. The country was too small, too french-speaking, too black to not be fucked over through the whole its history (fucked over classicly mostly by the US). A 150-year old history of oppression, poverty and dictatorships (only 4 Haiti rulers left their post at their will). Duvalier was just the longest-serving.

The book is slightly "dry". Guerilla warfare which takes some around 50% of the book turns into long lists of tiresome details and Haitian names, which appear only to be dead on the next page.

[John Lakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

a super book, very well written, a peek into a troubled country and it's dark past.

[Rita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good history - but had to take a break reading it - hard to keep all the players straight!

[ASC Library]

972.9406 Die

[David Corleto-Bales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haiti's monstrous problems of the present can be traced back for hundreds of years, but became acute and unsolvable under the dictatorship of Francois Duvalier (1957-1971) of "Papa Doc" fame, the cruel nationalist who ruled with supposed Voodoo power and government by whim. This 1972 book by Bernard Diederich has a great deal on Haiti's tortured past and the rise of Duvalier and Duvalierism. He lived in Haiti from 1949 until he was expelled by the regime in 1963. A modern classic.

[b bb bbbb bbbbbbbb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Covers Francois Duvalier´s ascension into the position of Hatian dictator Papa Doc. Very readable with plenty of social, political, racial, historical and economic context. The authors are journalists and indicate that impartiality is not one of their goals. The result is more of a story than an analysis. If anything, I wish the library had the recent edition of their work instead of one written in the late 60´s while Papa Doc was still in power