Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies
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Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies

by Helen Chapin Metz et al by Helen Chapin Metz et al

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Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies Fernandez's arrival to the presidency illustrated many of the dramatic changes that had taken place in the country. At the time of the death of Trujillo in 1961, the Dominican Republic was a predominantly rural country with a population isolated from international contact and an economy largely dependent on the export of sugar and other agricultural crops. By 1996 the country was mostly urban, and its economy and culture were far more linked to the outside world. Sugar was fading in importance; the country's major sources of foreign exchange were now tourism, exports from free trade zones, and remittances from overseas migrants. Indeed, the new president had spent part of his youth as a migrant in New York, where as many as one in fourteen Dominicans currently live; he could converse comfortably in English or Spanish about the implications of economic globalization, the threat of drug trafficking routes through the island republic, or the records of the dozens of Dominican baseball players in the major leagues of the United States. The 1996 elections were the first in the country since 1962 when neither Balaguer nor Bosch was a candidate. Political change was evident, as were elements of continuity and conflict. Fernandez obtained the presidency, but the new electoral calendar established by the 1994 reform meant that congressional elections would now be held at the midpoint of the presidential term. Indeed, his party had a very small representation in Congress because of its poor performance in the 1994 elections. Soon after Fernandez's electoral victory, Balaguer's PRSC negotiated a pact with the PRD to obtain leadership positions in Congress. Without congressional support, however, as of mid-1998 the Fernandez administration was stymied in its efforts to pass legislation. Midway through his presidential term in office, Fernandez had been governing in a more democratic fashion than Balaguer. As of mid-1998, the Fernandez administration had had two major political successes. One was the appointment in August 1997 of a new Supreme Court—widely viewed as comprising many distinguished jurists—in a much more open process through a Council of the Magistrature established by the constitutional reform of 1994. The other was the holding of fair congressional and municipal elections on May 16, 1998. At the same time, the death of Peha Gomez, one of the country's political leaders, on May 10, 1998, was an indicator of the transition in Dominican politics at the close of the twentieth cen- 52

Dominican Republic: Historical Setting tury. Because of Peria Gomez's death one week before the elections, the PRD won by an even wider margin than polls had suggested, gaining 80 percent of Senate seats, 56 percent of seats in the Chamber of Deputies, and 83 percent of mayoral races. Although Fernandez's own PLD improved its congressional representation compared to 1994, it was not nearly to the level expected by the party; the PRSC also did very poorly. Thus, the Dominican Republic is entering the new century seeking to strengthen still fragile democratic institutions, building on the successful democratic transition represented by the 1996 elections. The country is also having to learn how to manage the bitter interparty wrangling reflected in tense executivecongressional relations while also managing leadership changes in the major parties and confronting continuing serious socioeconomic challenges. * * * An excellent one-volume historical overview in English is Frank Moya Pons's The Dominican Republic: A National History. Also useful are the chapters by Frank Moya Pons and H. Hoetink found in The Cambridge History ofLatin America (in volumes 2, 5, and 7, including their bibliographical essays). On the nineteenth century, see also H. Hoetink, The Dominican People 1859-1900: Notes for a Historical Sociology; Sumner Welles, Naboth's Vineyard: The Dominican Republic, 1844-1924; and Emelio Betances, State and Society in the Dominican Republic. Bruce J. Calder's The Impact of Intervention is an excellent study of the United States occupation and its effects. On Trujillo, Robert Crassweller's Trujillo: The Life and Times of a Caribbean Dictator is highly recommended. Howard Wiarda has written extensively on the Dominican Republic; his most detailed work is a threevolume study, Dictatorship, Development and Disintegration: Politics and Social Changes in the Dominican Republic. Rosario Espinal has published many valuable articles, including "An Interpretation of the Democratic Transition in the Dominican Republic." Recent analyses of Dominican politics include those by Jan Knippers Black, The Dominican Republic, James Ferguson, The Dominican Republic: Beyond the Lighthouse; and Jonathan Hartlyn, The Struggle for Democratic Politics in the Dominican Republic. (For further information and complete citations, see Bibliography.) 53

<strong>Dominican</strong> <strong>Republic</strong>: Historical Setting<br />

tury. Because of Peria Gomez's death one week before the<br />

elections, the PRD won by an even wider margin than polls had<br />

suggested, gaining 80 percent of Senate seats, 56 percent of<br />

seats in the Chamber of Deputies, <strong>and</strong> 83 percent of mayoral<br />

races. Although Fern<strong>and</strong>ez's own PLD improved its congressional<br />

representation compared to 1994, it was not nearly to<br />

the level expected by the party; the PRSC also did very poorly.<br />

Thus, the <strong>Dominican</strong> <strong>Republic</strong> is entering the new century<br />

seeking to strengthen still fragile democratic institutions, building<br />

on the successful democratic transition represented by the<br />

1996 elections. The country is also having to learn how to manage<br />

the bitter interparty wrangling reflected in tense executivecongressional<br />

relations while also managing leadership<br />

changes in the major parties <strong>and</strong> confronting continuing serious<br />

socioeconomic challenges.<br />

* * *<br />

An excellent one-volume historical overview in English is<br />

Frank Moya Pons's The <strong>Dominican</strong> <strong>Republic</strong>: A National History.<br />

Also useful are the chapters by Frank Moya Pons <strong>and</strong> H. Hoetink<br />

found in The Cambridge History ofLatin America (in volumes<br />

2, 5, <strong>and</strong> 7, including their bibliographical essays). On the<br />

nineteenth century, see also H. Hoetink, The <strong>Dominican</strong> People<br />

1859-1900: Notes for a Historical Sociology; Sumner Welles,<br />

Naboth's Vineyard: The <strong>Dominican</strong> <strong>Republic</strong>, 1844-1924; <strong>and</strong> Emelio<br />

Betances, State <strong>and</strong> Society in the <strong>Dominican</strong> <strong>Republic</strong>. Bruce J.<br />

Calder's The Impact of Intervention is an excellent study of the<br />

United States occupation <strong>and</strong> its effects. On Trujillo, Robert<br />

Crassweller's Trujillo: The Life <strong>and</strong> Times of a Caribbean Dictator is<br />

highly recommended. Howard Wiarda has written extensively<br />

on the <strong>Dominican</strong> <strong>Republic</strong>; his most detailed work is a threevolume<br />

study, Dictatorship, Development <strong>and</strong> Disintegration: Politics<br />

<strong>and</strong> Social Changes in the <strong>Dominican</strong> <strong>Republic</strong>. Rosario Espinal has<br />

published many valuable articles, including "An Interpretation<br />

of the Democratic Transition in the <strong>Dominican</strong> <strong>Republic</strong>."<br />

Recent analyses of <strong>Dominican</strong> politics include those by Jan<br />

Knippers Black, The <strong>Dominican</strong> <strong>Republic</strong>, James Ferguson, The<br />

<strong>Dominican</strong> <strong>Republic</strong>: Beyond the Lighthouse; <strong>and</strong> Jonathan Hartlyn,<br />

The Struggle for Democratic Politics in the <strong>Dominican</strong> <strong>Republic</strong>. (For<br />

further information <strong>and</strong> complete citations, see Bibliography.)<br />

53

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