Why did Henry Christophe require formerly enslaved people to work on plantations?

Henry Christophe required formerly enslaved people to return to work on plantations primarily to improve the country’s economy. Following the Haitian Revolution, the young nation faced significant challenges, including widespread destitution, economic uncertainty, and the devastation of infrastructure caused by years of conflict.12

By restoring soldier-peasants to their former agricultural occupations, Christophe sought to stabilize the state's finances and maintain general prosperity in northern Haiti. This policy allowed him to fund ambitious construction projects, such as his palaces and the Citadelle Laferrièere. While this approach succeeded in improving the economy, it came at the cost of forcing the population back into plantation labor.312