The social composition of the Dominican Republic / Juan Bosch ; with a new introduction by Wilfredo Lozano ; translated from composición social dominicana by Christopher Winks.

Series Editor's introduction / Ramona Hernández, vii -- Acknowledgments, xi -- A new introduction / by Wilfredo Lozano, 1 -- A necessary preface, 18 -- 1. The origin of social classes in Santo Domingo, 24 -- 2. The emergence and decline of a sugar oligarchy, 32 -- 3. From sugar mills to cattle, 43 -- 4. The development of a Ranch Society, 52 -- 5. The curious society of the buccaneers, 61 -- 6. The French colony of Saint-Domingue, 70 -- 7. The century of misery, 79 -- 8. From the 17th century's immobility to the 18th century's dynamism, 88 -- 9. A half-century of relative development, 98 -- 10. Santo Domingo within the Caribbean Panorama, 107 -- 11. The Haitian revolution, 116 -- 12. The emigration issue, 125 -- 13. The ranchers' government and the Tobacco Harvesters' Society, 134 -- 14. The causes of the 1822 Haitian invasion, 143 -- 15. The Petty Bourgeoisie in Dominican History, 152 -- 16. Petty Bourgeoisie against the power of the rancher, 161 -- 17. 1857-1861: Struggles within the Petty Bourgeoisie, 169 -- 18. The restoration: an achievement of the Petty Bourgeoisie, 177 -- 19. The Long Reign of the Petty bourgeoisie in the nation's political life, 185 -- 20. Social composition and political parties of the period, 196 -- 21. The Government of the Azules, or the Road to Bourgeois society, 204 -- 22. From the death of heureaux to the death of Cáceres, 215 -- 23. Imperialism in action, 224 -- 24. Social Composition until 1930, 234 -- Trujillo, or: from Petty Bourgeoisie to Bourgeoisie, 243 -- 26. Social Composition at Trujillo's death, 252 -- Bibliography, 261 -- Names and places index, 265 -- Subject Index, 273.

This influential and pioneering book details the struggles of the Dominican people as they evolved from pre-colonial and colonial subjects to sovereign actors with the task of moving a republic forward, amidst imperialist desires and martial ambitions. Juan Bosch, one of the most well-known and best-loved Dominican politicians and scholars, here sets out the important themes that define modern Dominican society. He tackles topics such as the inter-imperialist rivalry between France, Spain, England, and Holland and its subsequent impact on the Caribbean region, as well as the U.S. occupation of the Dominican Republic from 1916-1924. He also discusses the aftermath of political alliances between liberals and conservatives during the birth of the Dominican Republic, the Restoration War fought against the Spanish Crown, the role of the petit bourgeoisie and the hateros (cattle-ranchers) in the formation of a Dominican oligarchy, the emergence of dictator Rafael Trujillo, and the composition of society during his time in power. This translation, introduced and contextualized by leading Dominican Studies scholar Wilfredo Lozano, opens up Bosch's work for a new generation of scholars studying the Caribbean.