70. The Haitian Revolution, Dutch royals, and what happened to the Caribs?

This book offers a dramatically new understanding of human history, challenging fundamental assumptions about social evolution, the development of agriculture, cities, the state, democracy, and inequality. Graeber and Wengrow argue that traditional theories of human history, such as those posited by Hobbes and Rousseau, are not supported by anthropological or archaeological evidence. Instead, they show that humans have lived in large, complex, but decentralized societies for millennia, often without ruling elites or hierarchical systems. The authors draw on extensive research in archaeology and anthropology to reveal a history that is more varied and hopeful than previously assumed, emphasizing human experimentation with different social arrangements and the potential for new forms of freedom and societal organization.

This book is a work of both biography and intellectual history, offering a nuanced and balanced account of Toussaint Louverture's life. Hazareesingh delves into Louverture's ability to unite European, African, and Caribbean traditions in the service of his revolutionary aims. The book provides new insights into seminal events such as the initial insurrection of 1791 and highlights the importance of Vodou to the revolutionaries. It also explores Louverture's use of Enlightenment ideas to argue for the equal dignity of all human beings and his significant impact on the postcolonial world.

Set prior to the First Opium War, the novel follows a diverse group of characters whose lives intersect on the Ibis, a ship that was once a slave vessel and is now refitted to transport indentured laborers from India to Mauritius. The story delves into themes of colonialism, the opium trade, class divisions, and personal transformation. It features characters such as Deeti, a widowed poppy farmer; Zachary Reid, a mixed-race American sailor; Neel Rattan Halder, a deposed raja; and Paulette, the orphaned daughter of a French botanist. Ghosh's rich and descriptive prose brings to life the intricate details of the settings and the complex lives of the characters.

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