2 ms·

>I think it is debatable that they had a sizable impact on the end of slavery itself. They definitely did have a big impact in the end of the Atlantic Slave Tra

by esyir 5y ago

>I think it is debatable that they had a sizable impact on the end of slavery itself. They definitely did have a big impact in the end of the Atlantic Slave Trade, which, keep in mind, they helped create and massively expand for over a century (at least) prior. Can you really give someone credit for ending a horrific practice they promoted/expanded on such a large, intentional scale? This seems like less than the bare minimum to me. I'd say yes, I would give them credit. As slavery was a baseline then, then you'd expect slavery quantity to go up with any expansion. The slavery increase would be incidental to the expansion, not the objective itself. If they did then implement policies that then reduced the proportion of slavery, and I won't repeat /u/Andaith's point that they did, then they deserve credit. Our history rife with things horrific to our modern sensibilities, but to cast away individual steps along the way for their imperfections feels like revisionism.

csb6 5y ago
> Our history rife with things horrific to our modern sensibilities I want to note that slavery was also horrific to vast numbers of people's sensibilities historically as well. Opposing slavery is not a "modern sensibility"; I can confidently say near 100% of slaves (especially those sent to work in British colonies in the Caribbean) found it horrific to their sensibilities as well. Abolitionism has a long history and even people who were not abolitionists were capable of being horrified by the system of slavery, especially if witnessing it up close and first-hand. It is only fairly recently (since the 1800s) that Western government policy and the elite classes have become opposed to chattel slavery, true, but these views do not represent everyone's views.
- esyir 5y ago
  >I can confidently say near 100% of slaves (especially those sent to work in British colonies in the Caribbean) found it horrific to their sensibilities as well. Oh, I'd definitely agree. But I'd rather we use the general societal opinion here as a gauge. As an analogy, some meat-eaters might find the current factory farming situation horrifying, even if they're not vegetarians. Despite that, I'd be fairly comfortable to say that the general populace is mostly ok with the process (or fantastically insulated).

by esyir 5y ago

csb6 5y ago

> Our history rife with things horrific to our modern sensibilities I want to note that slavery was also horrific to vast numbers of people's sensibilities historically as well. Opposing slavery is not a "modern sensibility"; I can confidently say near 100% of slaves (especially those sent to work in British colonies in the Caribbean) found it horrific to their sensibilities as well. Abolitionism has a long history and even people who were not abolitionists were capable of being horrified by the system of slavery, especially if witnessing it up close and first-hand. It is only fairly recently (since the 1800s) that Western government policy and the elite classes have become opposed to chattel slavery, true, but these views do not represent everyone's views.

esyir 5y ago
>I can confidently say near 100% of slaves (especially those sent to work in British colonies in the Caribbean) found it horrific to their sensibilities as well. Oh, I'd definitely agree. But I'd rather we use the general societal opinion here as a gauge. As an analogy, some meat-eaters might find the current factory farming situation horrifying, even if they're not vegetarians. Despite that, I'd be fairly comfortable to say that the general populace is mostly ok with the process (or fantastically insulated).