The debt wasn't really for recognition, it was to even be able to participate in the world economy. in the wikipedia page it seems like this was left as a smal

The debt wasn't really for recognition, it was to even be able to participate in the world economy. in the wikipedia page it seems like this was left as a small detail: "The French managed to capture Louverture, transporting him to France for trial. He was imprisoned at Fort de Joux, where he died in 1803 of exposure and possibly tuberculosis.[63][79]" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiti#Haitian_Revolution_(1791%E2%80%931804) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiti#Haitian_Revolution_(1791... But what actually happened is Louverture was captured under false pretenses of signing a peace treaty after the French were still actively attempting to stymie efforts from the Hatian government which essentially led to the Hatians paying the debt under unsavory terms: "Leclerc's army had some initial success and Louverture was captured after signing a peace treaty with the French general, later dying in unclear circumstances in a French prison.[6]" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockade_of_Saint-Domingue https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockade_of_Saint-Domingue Unfortunately this a good example of the quote "When you strike at a king, you must kill him" by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Haiti was able to rise out of chattel slavery but still suffered under a form of financial slavery.