When Great Britain waged war against slavery despite it being the global norm.
A thread 🧵🇬🇧
The uncomfortable truth is that the great evil of slavery, practised across all cultures, races and continents, was universal across history.
(Sources are cited at the end.)
A thread 🧵🇬🇧
The uncomfortable truth is that the great evil of slavery, practised across all cultures, races and continents, was universal across history.
(Sources are cited at the end.)
Euro-Americans bought slaves from the West African Coast, with Arab slave traders dominating East Africa.
Many Africans took gross profits & resources by imprisoning other Africans and selling them.
Slavery was also widespread in caste based cultures & with competing tribes.
Many Africans took gross profits & resources by imprisoning other Africans and selling them.
Slavery was also widespread in caste based cultures & with competing tribes.
Great Britain was a very large player in the abominable trade, which should never be forgotten.
However, 🇬🇧 later went against the global consensus & spent large sums of money, resources, lost thousands of lives & waged war to try to rid Earth of slavery.
Let’s go through it:
However, 🇬🇧 later went against the global consensus & spent large sums of money, resources, lost thousands of lives & waged war to try to rid Earth of slavery.
Let’s go through it:
The result of Somerset v Stewart (1772) de-facto ended slavery in England.
Funded by abolitionists like Granville Sharp, it saw a run-away slave declared free from his owner on English soil.
Abolitionism gained lots of public support in our Kingdom as the 1700s progressed,
Funded by abolitionists like Granville Sharp, it saw a run-away slave declared free from his owner on English soil.
Abolitionism gained lots of public support in our Kingdom as the 1700s progressed,
thanks in large part to societies like the ‘Quakers’ and ‘Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade’ - to name a few.
Many laws were passed including the Slave Trade Act of 1807 (banishing the trade across the Empire) & the Abolition Act of 1833.
Many laws were passed including the Slave Trade Act of 1807 (banishing the trade across the Empire) & the Abolition Act of 1833.
After the defeat of Napoleon, Great Britain took the position as the world’s only truly global power, the period of Pax Britannica.
This let 🇬🇧 exert its military might as well as diplomatic pressure in it anti-slavery goals.
Thus,
This let 🇬🇧 exert its military might as well as diplomatic pressure in it anti-slavery goals.
Thus,
🇬🇧 used 3 methods to bully traders & nations into ending their involvement in slavery:
1) Military intervention - using the might of the Royal Navy.
2) Using soft power to force nations into anti-slavery treaties.
3) A mix between the two above - ‘gun boat diplomacy.’
1) Military intervention - using the might of the Royal Navy.
2) Using soft power to force nations into anti-slavery treaties.
3) A mix between the two above - ‘gun boat diplomacy.’
In 1808, the Royal Navy formed the West African Squadron, focusing on policing the seas off the coast of West Africa.
Between 1808-1860, this squadron captured 1600 slave ships and freed 150,000 slaves.
This squadron operated as a huge blow to the Atlantic slave trade.
Between 1808-1860, this squadron captured 1600 slave ships and freed 150,000 slaves.
This squadron operated as a huge blow to the Atlantic slave trade.
As Kaufmann & Pape (1999) demonstrated, the suppression of the Atlantic Slave trade cost the UK around 1.8% of yearly GNI between 1807-1867.
A far higher cost than modern humanitarian efforts - for reference, OECD untied development aid was 0.33% between 1975-1998.
A far higher cost than modern humanitarian efforts - for reference, OECD untied development aid was 0.33% between 1975-1998.
Remember, such a cost was only for the Atlantic Slave Trade, it doesn’t take into account the cost 🇬🇧 bore for its suppression of the Arab East African trade.
The Royal Navy would sometimes end up in battle with slave ships. Lots of slave traders did not want to,
The Royal Navy would sometimes end up in battle with slave ships. Lots of slave traders did not want to,
willingly give up their ships to the Royal Navy; especially since the British would capture, try and imprison slave traders.
Examples of diplomatic pressure exerted by Britain to suppress slavery included the Anglo-Portuguese 1815 amongst many others.
Examples of diplomatic pressure exerted by Britain to suppress slavery included the Anglo-Portuguese 1815 amongst many others.
Gun boat diplomacy was used against nations & empires that did not live up to Britain’s demands and treaties on stopping slavery.
For example, Brazil continued its participation in the slave trade in spite of its treaties promoted by the UK.
For example, Brazil continued its participation in the slave trade in spite of its treaties promoted by the UK.
The Royal Navy responded by violating Brazil’s territorial coast with gun boats.
Within months, slave trade participation essentially ended in the region.
Not only did Great Britain abolish slavery at home and in its Empire, it did its best to rid the world of it.
Within months, slave trade participation essentially ended in the region.
Not only did Great Britain abolish slavery at home and in its Empire, it did its best to rid the world of it.
A powerful image of the UK’s quest,
Is during Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in the Seychelles,
2000 former slaves (each rescued by the Royal Navy from the East African slave trade),
Paraded with 🇬🇧 flags printed with the words ‘The Flag that sets us free.’
Is during Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in the Seychelles,
2000 former slaves (each rescued by the Royal Navy from the East African slave trade),
Paraded with 🇬🇧 flags printed with the words ‘The Flag that sets us free.’
These citizens then collectively declared in a translated message to the Queen,
“Kindly, Sir, express to the Queen our thanks for our freedom and to England our gratitude to those English Sailors who were killed and wounded, fighting that we might be free.”
“Kindly, Sir, express to the Queen our thanks for our freedom and to England our gratitude to those English Sailors who were killed and wounded, fighting that we might be free.”
@WanjiruNjoya, given our previous discussions on the British Empire, you may find this thread to be of interest.
@GilesUdy and @calvinrobinson, given the recent viral interview you both did on teaching the great evil that is slavery, and Britain’s abolitionist efforts, you may both find this thread to be of interest.
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