Blog10
According Eric Williams, the British industrial revolution was in part linked to the profits made from the African slave trade. The Atlantic trade also offered materials from across the known world to Europe. Britain because of the trade managed to amass great amounts of wealth from the Atlantic trade. The increased in raw materials aided in the development of Britain. The only problem with this increased production was the means of providing labor. The labor force was mostly made up of slaves the do the mining, farming, and whatever else. The most available slaves of course being Africans. It was not until the 1783 that the idea slavery being a moral issue gained more popularity. However, the use of the slave trade had become an essential part of European economic growth.
Jahad in his blog had this to say on the subject, “that the Europeans gained power over time through their trading relationship with African kings.” (Jahadm14, April 20, 2017).
Despite some moral issues and the long-term consequences, the money being made alone made slavery’s abolition seen quite improbable. Slave trader and sugar plantation owners would not be out of business any time soon. These colonies were what was making the British as powerful as they were after all.
Because of these colonies existence tons of raw materials could be exported and bolster Britain. This increase in production is partly responsible for the British Industrial Revolution. The massive development of British capitalism was offset only by a monopoly in West Indian. For the sake of economic dominance there was an attack on the West Indians which also involved slaves. This attack was executed in three different phases. The first attack was aimed at the slave trade. So, the slave trade was rendered illegal in 1807. The second attack phase was against slavery itself. By 1833 the British abolished slavery. Lastly was the attack on special sugar duties. Much like the other attacks this left sugar preference shut down by 1846.
The reason that this is important is because of the system that these attacks destroyed. The slave trade had been a big part of maintaining British superiority. Yet they found themselves tearing this system down. It was capitalist Britain who had encouraged to use of slavery in West Indian first. There was a time that British capitalism relied heavily on the West Indies. Because of this fact the practice of slavery was often supported. It was not until the West Indian monopoly became a problem that these issues were given a second look. However not for the reasons people of today would have appreciated.
The destruction of slavery in British controlled areas was just a tool to bring down the monopoly in West Indian. This is basically what Williams comment on page 139 is saying. Though the abolition of slavery is a great victory for British humanitarians the victory seems rather lack luster. In most instances of removing slavery it often involves similar scenarios. It is most typical that the slave system is only brought down out of convince or because of a different issue. Rarely if ever is instated slave systems destroyed for reasons of humane morality.
Jahadm14. “Blog #10 Atlantic Slave Trade, 4-5.” History of Africa. Accessed April 20, 2017. https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/jahadm14/2017/04/14/blog-10-atlantic-slave-trade-4-5/.
Joes13. Joes Blog. Accessed April 20, 2017. https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/joesblog/2017/04/14/blog-10-joe-sansalone/.
