Public Policies and National Prospects

The analysis of the relationship between Voodoo and politics reveals the ramifications of Voodoo in both local and national level politics throughout the history of Haiti. During the colonial era, the slave and maroon leaders used the church to give impetus to the liberation movement that was crucial in their attempt to overthrow the colonial regime; more recently, the Duvalier administrations co-opted church leaders in an effort to control their organisation and the surrounding neighbourhood communities they served. If one may argue that Haitian politicians have always exploited the church to their advantage, it is also accurate to say that Voodoo has used in its hierarchical and regional organisation the imagery of the administrative structure of the Haitian governmental system. This is why I consider it important to look at how the state's politico-military structure is reflected in the church's organisation. Here is one focal point whereby the intersection between Voodoo and politics can be fruitfully analysed.

Colonialism · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · State (computer science) · Caribbean and African Literature and Culture · Colonialism, slavery, and trade · History of Colonial Brazil · Law · Public Administration