Carnival is a celebration of Communitas. ““Communitas is, to quote Znaniecki (1936:chap.3), “a bond uniting people over and above any formal social bonds.””(Turner; 1982, pp. 205).  This an annual celebration of life that is not exclusive to Haiti and occurs in many countries around the world. The celebration dates back to the Middle Ages and Christian backgrounds of the Lent and Easter season. The worldwide festival of communitas includes song and dance and is very prevalent in Haiti.  Carnival affects the country of Haiti in political, social, and religious ways.

Politically, Carnival has an arguable and variable spectrum of interpretations. “On one end of a spectrum of viewpoints is the ‘instrument of social control' theory (Gross 1980:238), which holds that carnival diverts popular attention away from oppressive social realities. Some theorists (Eagleton 1981) acknowledge carnival as a site of popular pleasures that challenge taboos, hierarchies, and social conventions, yet they argue that carnival (often licensed by the authorities) perpetuates dominant systems by functioning as a ‘pressure valve,' venting popular anger into symbolic, rather than material, reversals” (Averill; 1997, pp. 218). So, from the political point of view, it is evident that Carnival in Haiti can either have positive effects on the public by suppressing oppressive feelings or opposing effects on the governing systems by causing people to question authority.  This questioning of authority should not necessarily be considered negative; however it does cause political consequences to arise. “The Haitian state and elite class have been remarkably unsuccessful over time in their efforts to turn carnival into a parade or spectacle. Official Haitian carnival has always been wedded uneasily to a popular, participatory, and political event” (Averill; 1997, pp. 220). This is often seen as a threat because of all the people coming together and the fact that the celebrations could get out of the control of authorities. Generally speaking, the political effects of Carnival are more positive than negative as the festival acts as a glue to bring people together annually to celebrate their common beliefs and background.

Socially, Carnival acts as a means to unite people of the world with the same beliefs. "Carnival is a great time because everybody, light or dark skinned, rich or poor, Haitian or foreigner, can party together," (Watrous; 1997, pp. 19). "The rest of the year everybody fights." During the festival, people are able to express their individuality and creativity as they design their elaborate costumes. “The belief seems to be that giving vent to all kinds of revelry purges the individual and makes it easier for him to appreciate the mystic qualities of the coming religious experience,” (Milne, 1965, pp. 33). This is a good release for people and also a reason why the social effects of Carnival are positive in Haiti . “Carnival is a way for the average person to maintain a sense of community. This year's Carnival offered huge floats carrying bands with immense sound systems, all wending their way through Port-au-Prince . It is a way for people who can't afford to go to clubs to see and hear their culture and music” (Watrous; 1997, pp. 19). “…a group unity is experienced, a kind of generic bond outside the constraints of social structure…”(Turner; 1982 , pp. 205). It seems clear that the positive social entertainment derived from Carnival outweighs the political and governmental consequences, which is why the tradition lives on with strength.

During Carnival, many citizens of Haiti act in ways they might not normally act. This is because self-expression is one of the main factors of the celebration. People prepare costumes long in advance in an attempt to completely express themselves. One of most appealing cultural effects of Carnival is the fact that during this time people who might not normally be able to enjoy themselves because of lack of wealth or a variety of other reasons can release their emotions and embrace others of their kind. This time of gluttony is viewed by the Haitians as a time to celebrate before the season of Lent during which they will revert back to religious ways.

Many people in Haiti are of African descent. The history of these peoples and how they got to the Caribbean via slavery is a sad story. The time of Carnival can be seen for these people as a time to celebrate their freedom and their religion. The Haitian Carnival marries the ideas of individualism and self expression with the ideas of a group of people uniting as one all across the world. While Carnival and Mardi Gras are often celebrated throughout the world by people who don't even know what the significance of the celebration is, this time of the year does bring people together especially in Haiti. To conclude, Carnival in Haiti has a great deal of political, social and religious significance. As discussed above, most people who participate in the festival as well as those who regulate it obviously see the time as more than just a time to dress up and act fanatical; they see it as a time for all peoples of the country and moreover the world to set aside their differences and celebrate their religious background.