As we British celebrate The 200Th anniversary of the abolition of slavery. ...who is to blame?

Question

Are we to blame the Africans for selling or the buyers for the Inhuman and degrading way in which slaves were subjected to...to the extent of defecating in thier mouth, being thrown overboard.....etc

Answer 1

Two centuries ago, Britain had the wisdom to eliminate slavery, yet you focus on the moral wrongs of slavery and blame assignment of people long dead rather than celebrating the fact that Britain was a leader in recognizing that it was time to stop treating fellow humans in such a way. The horrors of the Atlantic slave trade are well known and well documented. How about some praise for the men and women that stood up and demanded a change in society instead?

Answer 2

You are absolutely right in saying we did bring about and implement the abolition of slavery, and the people involved were treated to the most inhuman, degrading and unforgiveable treatment. We should celebrate the end of a horrific era in the history of mankind. What you have to remember is that people back then were so insular and so detached from anything outside their own microcosm of the real world, they were actually too ignorant to seen any different. For that reason, I think a commemoration, rather than a celebration would be more appropriate. What we are talking about is an extremely small percentage of very wealthy people taking advantage of the fact that they could wield their financial "axe" over an infinitely smaller number of much weaker people. Just remember, in all too many countries today, that still applies. I don't know about you but that certainly worries me! Slavery is rife in the world today -don't kid yourself otherwise. 200 years on, we still have a fair way to go.!

Answer 3

Everyone involved in the trade is culpable - the African traders who captured and sold the slaves to the Europeans, the European sailors who took them across the Atlantic in such appalling conditions, the landowners who bought and abused them, and the governments of all the countries involved who took no action to stop the trade.
Still, although all those involved should be condemned it seems somewhat facetious to find someone to 'blame', as the abuse and disregard for life was an integral part of a social and economic system which everyone at the time was involved in to some extent. Every person buying sugar in 1800 (most of the population of the UK for example) was indirectly supporting the slave trade, which is why anti-slavery protestors launched a boycott of sugar and rum.

Answer 4

The main point about this 'celebration' is it should draw attention to the slavery that still goes on today.

If I could go back for enough in my own family history to the feudal system I would be able to trace my own family back to the time when they were slaves.

The issue about the slavery from the time of Elizabeth the 1st and the history of it, is that it is well documented and we have the opportunity to reflect on 'man's inhumanity to man'

Negroes from Africa were not the only slaves of that time and white slavery is also a fact of history and the modern day.

People in power are often tempted to abuse that power and inhuman treatment of people is only one manifestation of this.

This is why education is essential and we must guard against revisionism from all quarters.

Answer 5

Not all slaves were Black. The Blame for slavery is the fact that a few wanted all the money. To get all the money they wanted free labor. To get free labor you needed slaves.
Even if they were not what you called true slaves, how about child workers or indentured workers. They even though paid were never paid for their services a fair wage.
It the Greedy that caused all of this.

Answer 6

Man's barbarity to man has never changed. Even the Israelites were sold into slavery.

Every nation on earth from the Native Americans, to the Chinese and Zulu's had slaves, and pointing the finger at any group will not rewind the clock, or undo what has been done.

Quite frankly it is my own personal view that apologists for slavery are rather foolish, for what does it achieve 200 years after the event?

Time moves on and slavery remains with us, and one usually thinks in terms of female sex slaves who are bought and sold for prostitution.

But slavery exist in both America, Europe and the UK. The chains of iron have been replaced by chains of law. Law, which was supposed to set us free has now enslaved us all.

Local Council's are threatening fines for people who do not meet their 'recycling quota'. Yet we, the general public are not their employees or slaves, in fact the reverse is true, they work for us.

If governments and authorities wish to recycle, even though it's not green to do so, then let them, but by using their own paid labour force.

They cannot enforce servitude it is banned by universal law.

Answer 7

As British my answer is:-

We are celebrating the fact that 200 years ago a small group of courageous people led by William Wilberforce MP persuaded Parliament to abolish Slavery and make it illegal. As who is to blame? Everyone, as it was the way of the world. Slaves were machines that run the industry.

Answer 8

Blame is a modern concept. Slavery existed since Biblical times, and it was the way of the world. Of course it was wrong, of course it should have been stopped centuries ago, of course reparations should have been made at the time, but none of these things happened. Instead of blaming and indulging in recriminations we should try to ensure that modern life is comfortable for everyone on Earth.

Answer 9

Anyone who participated is to blame, White, Black, Brown, or other. If history teaches us anything, it's man is vilolent. Hitler and the Jews, Romans and the Christians, Japanese enslaving Koreans and Chinese, it keeps going on.

The other side... what does blaming anyone accomplish? Hundreds of thousands of Whites died to end slavery, too. Remember, they won the American Civil War. And I have never owned a slave of any color, creed, or nationality.

I'd think about trying to move forward, and get out of the blame game. It accomplishes little to nothing.

Answer 10

Whats the point of apologising and raking this over, its 200 years on the past and the very fact its been abolished shows lessons have been learned. I think the whole issue of aplogy quite ridiculous.
If slavery had not have taken place, many of the black peoples that have grown up through the generations and through western and white societies, would not have had the chances to raise themselves in society to high positions, receive high education and elevate to positions of leadership in those white/western civillisations, had their distant relatives not been slaves in the first place.......