what do you think about this ?

Question

Myth: Europeans physically enslaved Africans or hired mercenaries who captured people for export or that African rulers were "Holocaust abettors" who were themselves to blame for the slave trade.
Fact: Europeans did engage in some slave raiding; the majority of people who were transported to the Americas were enslaved by Africans in Africa.

Answer 1

This is more a matter of semantics that anything. On the surface this is a true statement. The majority of the African slaves were captured and initially held by Africans. However, the reason they did this was because the Europeans, who had superior weapons technology, were there. It is not true that the majority had been slaves before. They were captured by Africans for the purpose of selling them to the Europeans. The reasons that the local Africans participated in this was likely three-fold. First, the Africans did have a tradition of raids and slave-taking. although it was nothing like the scale of the European trade. Secondly, greed did play a role. Those who participated in the trade did gain weapons, wealth, and power over their neighbors and traditional rivals. However, the third, and perhaps greatest reason, was fear.- fear of the Europeans themselves, and fear that if they did not cooperate, it would be their rivals who received the guns, wealth, and who would then be raiding them. In some ways this is like blaming the Native Americans for the suffering of their people because some of the tribes cooperated with the European and American settlers, or even blaming the concentration camp sondercommandos (Jewish prisoners who worked for the Nazis) for the Holocaust.

Answer 2

I've wondered about this. Firstly an awful lot of people were taken. It doesn't seem likely they could have been taken with-out help. Secondly Europeans hadn't practice slave trade for centuries before this, so how did they know how to organize it. It didn't just happen but would have taken planning. West Africa where the slaves were taken already had the infrastructure for slave trade in place and were actively involved in slave trade with the middle east. The thing is the European side is well documented, records of it kept as a business etc. The African side possibly didn't keep any records of their slave trade to Europe or the middle east. It's PC to put all the blame on Europe but I think inaccurate historically. What ever happened it was immoral, unethical and un Christian, Europeans should have known better. Any claims to being and advanced culture, more advanced than west Africa fell on its face when they/we started that practice.

Answer 3

This is fairly straight-forward: Yes, Africans were enslaved by Europeans.

Yes, Africans have owned slaves in Africa. But Africans are not to blame for the horrible treatment of the Africans at the hands of the Europeans once they were shipped out and sold off to slave owners in the Americas.

Answer 4

That is VERY true. The fact that africans in africa enslaved African's to be exported to America is true. I find it somewhat interesting that they blame americans. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not a proponent of slavery. In fact, had I lived back during that time, I to would have been a Union Soldier to help free the slaves, but today we STILL live in a world of slavery. Such as in Indonesia for example, or Taiwan. Where sweatshops about. It is other Indonesians, Taiwanies and Chinese that buy the children off their poor parents, and then the children become slaves. Now, to us we find this horrible...BUT...if the price of Nike shoes went up to pay for the REAL wages that these children out to be humanely paid, none of us would be able to afford them! The $120-$200 pair of shoes would become $400-$500 a pair! Our clothing that is made in China would sky rocket!
I agree...I think slavery is a horrible thing...but let's get with reality...

Answer 5

Your second paragraph is true, but the white Europeans did accept them as slaves. Its like knowingly receiving stolen property - both parties share in the guilt. BTW: I'm white, but history is history, and I don't get to control its content.

Answer 6

I think what you said is that the people who were sent to the Americans were already slaves in their native lands?

Well, logically, I think it's correct because its slave trade and all...

Answer 7

I hate to say it but I'm going with the facts I would rather hear the the ugly truth than a beautiful lie any day

Answer 8

Hmm... I think that myth could tell me why there was a world war 2 more than mein kamph ever will...

Answer 9

goddamn white people and yes europena had black slave

Answer 10

Yeah, it's crime what some people will do for money...