Jean Jacques Dessalines, governor-general of Haiti, explains in his proclamation Liberty of Death his reasons for the crimes he had committed in the name of liberty. Europeans and scholars have criticized his methods of violence to combat invaders and intruders of Haitian independence. In his proclamation, he points out that his actions were necessary for the survival of the newly founded Haiti.

Dessalines reminds the people that what he has done was not new. The french have committed numerous crimes against population. He admits to have “rendered to these true cannibals war for war, crime for crime, outrage for outrage…”(37). In response to future critics, he says, ” I have performed my duty; I enjoy my own approbation; for me, that is sufficient” (37). Dessalines does not care about his perceived reputation in written history or outside perspectives because he knows what he is doing is right.

The actions he has committed were in the thoughts of many people but he was the one to carry them out. Since he has done that job, the responsibility of the Haitian people is to maintain “happy harmony amongst [themselves]” (38). As long as the general population unite under their new shared freedom, they would be invincible against foreign threats. If the new nation is under threat, Dessalines tells the people to remind themselves of the struggle they have endured for their freedom. That reminder will fuel them to repel any invaders with the same violence that he has used to win.

Dessalines’ proclamation empowers oppressed people to take up arms against oppressive institutions. He reasons that since crimes have already been committed against the oppressed population, the people are justified in retaliating as long as it targets the perpetrators of the crime.

This reasoning makes sense for most Haitian people since they have witnessed, first hand, the crimes of French, English and Spanish conquerors. Their anger and frustration of generational discrimination united them under a understanding general who sees violence as a justifiable way to liberate the island. They have recognized the hypocrisy of Western values of democracy. These values do no extend to the Haitian population because a black leader causes worry to the conservative leaders of Europe and America. The Haitian people have had a taste of freedom and it is reasonable that they were willing to die to keep it.