Reparations? So a pressure group in the West Indies and an Irish millionaire is insisting that the British government should pay reparations (i.e. lots of money) to the descendants of slaves shipped to the Caribbean. Fine, so the Italian government should pay the UK compensation for the Romans making slaves of Britons? And the Scandinavians should pay for the slaves taken from Ireland and England by the Vikings? And the Turkish government to the descendants of the Janissaries? And, most of all, should the current governments of African countries not pay compensation to the descendants of those Africans sold into slavery by their own chiefs? And finally should the descendants of African slaves not be very grateful that their ancestors were sold into slavery, for otherwise they would not be here: those not sold – excess population and prisoners of war – were generally put to death. It was, after all, England that declared the slave trade illegal in 1807 and stationed a squadron of the Royal Navy off the west coast of Africa to enforce the prohibition.
Currently reading Slave Empire about the history of slavery and emancipation in Britain. Interesting narrative reflecting upon the evolving thinking of the time regarding the moral, economic, and racial threads of the issue.
Currently reading Slave Empire about the history of slavery and emancipation in Britain. Interesting narrative reflecting upon the evolving thinking of the time regarding the moral, economic, and racial threads of the issue.