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It seems almost disingenuous to literally only talk about the mainland of England when saying "We didn’t have slavery in the U.K". I don't know if that was his
by tombert 6y ago
It seems almost disingenuous to literally only talk about the mainland of England when saying "We didn’t have slavery in the U.K".
I don't know if that was his intention, but, as you said, England has a long history of enslaving nations. Even if it didn't bring the slaves back with them necessarily most of the time, they still did horrible exploitation.
(Evidently, not trying to exclude the US here; obviously the US had some pretty brutal slavery, and the only reason we haven't colonized as much is likely due to us being a much younger country).
- coldtea 6y ago>It seems almost disingenuous to literally only talk about the mainland of England when saying "We didn’t have slavery in the U.K". Well, for the UK society, etc., that's the part that matters though, and I understand him as talking from that aspect. Going out and about you didn't see people in chains, and slavery being the foundation of the economy the way you'd do in the South for example, nor were you constantly reminded of "us and them" in that way. The UK's ruling classes, on the other hand, they're of course responsible for the colonies too - and lots of other things besides...
- rsynnott 6y ago> and slavery being the foundation of the economy the way you'd do in the South for example Well, not as visibly, certainly. Slavery actually had a fairly dramatic impact on the British economy, though, both in the colonies, and later, indirectly, during the US civil war, when lack of cotton caused a major economic crisis.