Slave reparations (UK C4 program)

[lightblue]

To be honest, the sins of my forefather are not mine to pay for so to speak. Also there would be no slave trade without african involvement. They had slavery in Africa at the time, the Brits just exported them for them.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by lightblue
there would be no slave trade without african involvement. They had slavery in Africa at the time, the Brits just exported them for them.

The Europeans completely changed the way slavery worked in Africa. The demand for slaves suddenly increased considerably, and the Euros were bringing merchandise that was highly valued by Africans. As a result, the massive subjugation of populations became a highly profitable trade for some chiefdoms (some chiefdoms fed off war and subjugation), while impoverishing Africa as a whole.

Nowadays, several African countries memorialise slavery and the local contribution to it (for example, Benin holds a "march for memory and apology"). However, the destrction of African societies through slavery wouldn't have been possible without the massive demand created by the Europeans.

That, and slavery is a crime against humanity in itself, no matter the economic impact. Something all of Europe and quite a few Arab countries should accept as a horrible part of their past.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Cuba is now run by the decendents of the slaves.

Castro's black?

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Spiffor
That, and slavery is a crime against humanity in itself, no matter the economic impact. Something all of Europe and quite a few Arab countries should accept as a horrible part of their past.

It is so now. It was not then. There is a massive difference.

You are right that it was a horrible part of the world at that time, but it was just that... a part of the world. Were there many places in the 16th century that did not have slavery or indentured servitude of some sort?

[C0ckney]

indeed.

i think everyone recognises that slavery was wrong and did a lot of damage to africa, but it doesn't follow from that, that we should somehow pay for what our ancestors did hundreds of years ago.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by notyoueither
Castro's black?

He ain't all white. In any event, Cuba isn't run soley by Castro, anymore than Bush runs the U.S. all by himself.

[Whoha]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


The lowest figure I ever saw was 15 million made it to the Americas. Now, if we factor in that only one in three survived the voyage, that's 45 million people taken from Africa. Most of the slaves who made it here were worked to death (the North American colonies were somewhat less lethal), and over a period of three hundred years, that's not an unreasonable sum, works out to about 15,000 a year for all of the Americas.

you missed a zero, that works out to 150,000 a year.
Thats one hell of a Merchant fleet for slaving alone.

[el freako]

Just as an aside, but I wonder how long it would have taken for Slavery to die out if the British Empire hadn't declared it piracy on the high seas in the 1830s?

Methinks a century probably.

[Chemical Ollie]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


He ain't all white. In any event, Cuba isn't run soley by Castro, anymore than Bush runs the U.S. all by himself.

With that logic, USA is also run by decendents of the slaves. Just ask Condie.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


He ain't all white. In any event, Cuba isn't run soley by Castro, anymore than Bush runs the U.S. all by himself.

Right. He has Rice and Obama helping him. It seems the US could use your argument.

[notyoueither]

Damn Swedes!

[Dis]

Originally posted by Maquiladora


Havent you seen Coming to America?

yeah those chicks were hot.

[BeBMan]

Does this go for descendents of ancient slaves as well?

[MikeH]

Hey, my Family's from Ireland, I'm only here because my Great Grandfather was so poor in Ireland he had to join the British army to feed his family. Can I get reparations too please?

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by el freako
Just as an aside, but I wonder how long it would have taken for Slavery to die out if the British Empire hadn't declared it piracy on the high seas in the 1830s?

Methinks a century probably.

How come the US and Brazil still bought slaves for a jolly long time then?