Declarations in Dialogue: Voices of Oppressed

Today we consider two cases of people who had been excluded from the new social orders that emerged out of the Enlightenment.  Women were considered excluded from the Enlightenment because of their reproductive role and also because they were thought to lack qualities such as rationality, discipline, strength of character and intelligence.  Other obstacles to full participation in free society included the fact that women were not allowed to own property under historical British law that influenced early colonies.

Abigail Adams' letters to her husband and friend include not only plain statements about the limited opportunities for women, but also uses humor and mockery to try to persuade her husband.  In the March 31 letter, Abigail says that "all Men would be tyrants", there is no law without representation (even for women!) and that the women will rebel if they do not get representation.  She uses the language of rights ironically, which makes us question to what extent her comments about rebellion might be mere joking.  In John's response on April 14, he mocks Abigail, saying that he "cannot but laugh" at her request and those of other "tribes".  He says that men will not abandon their "Masculine systems" in the name of the "Despotism of the petticoat".  Overall, he is dismissive of her claims and eventually in the May 26 letter he writes to his friend, he says that women cannot be allowed to be part of the system because then all other excluded groups (children, men without property, etc.) will need to be included.  There are three main reasons why he thinks women should not be included: first, women are delicate because of their sex and gender; second, women are bound by domestic obligations and third, including women means including all other excluded tribes.

Dr. Jarratt claims that Abigail Adams tried to use her letters to create a public sphere for political debate.  The letters do not have have a rational rhetoric such as those of empowered men at the time, and Dr. Jarratt notes that excluded groups often use alternative styles of persuasion when they are disempowered by traditional systems.

Our second case study is the Constitution of Haiti from 1801.  Remember that slavery had been outlawed in French colonies in 1794, and at this time all men were granted citizenship.  Of course, this was only after petitions for freedom had been denied and after a violent insurrection.  Dr. Jarratt reminds us that many famous Enlightenment thinkers thought that there were essential differences between Europeans and people with African ancestry.  This led to the attempt of white French citizens to reinstitute slavery in Haiti.

The Haitian constitution declares that humans are not supposed to be legally divided by color (Article 5) and also ensures that no person can be owned by another human being (Title V).  However, Toussaint L'Overture tries to make himself governor indefinitely, establishes Catholicism as the official religion and tries to make physical labor mandatory.  In 1801, Napoleon attempted to reintroduce slavery.  In 1803, L'Overture was imprisoned.  A year later, Dessalines led the Haitians to victory against the French.  In 1804 we get the Haitian Declaration if Independence from Dessalines.  This document is addressed to all people, including women and children.  Dr. Jarratt notes that this document marks the beginning of a new stage of maturity for the government.  Dessalines wanted this declaration to mark a time of growth.  Note also the contrast between this document and the American Declaration.  In Dessalines document, the French are named as tigers and vultures, unlike the Americans who wanted to express solidarity with British soldiers (focusing on King George as the villain).  Then a second constitution came about in 1805.  Haiti is declared as a "black" nation and whites are banned from owning property.