Reasons for the abolition of the Trans-Atlantic trade in Africans.

(Chapter 21)-
1. Failure of amelioration-
One major factor that enabled abolitionists to argue for emancipation was the failure of
the government’s ‘amelioration’ policy. In 1823, the Foreign Secretary, Lord Canning,
introduced a series of resolutions that called for the improvement of conditions for slaves
in His Majesty’s colonies. These included the promotion of Christianity amongst the
enslaved community and further legal protection.

Many abolitionists were able to prove that planters had ingnored these policies by
highlighting slave population decreases within the West Indies, falling marriage rates, the
continuance of native cultural practises (such as ‘Obeah’) and more importantly, the
perpetuation of slave uprisings.

2. Late slave uprising

Between 1807 and 1833, three of Britain’s most valuable Caribbean colonies all
experienced violent slave uprisings. Barbados was the first to witness a revolt in 1816,
while the colony of Demerara in British Guyana saw a full-scale rebellion in 1823. The
largest of all slave uprisings, nevertheless, occurred in Jamaica in 1831-32. 60,000 slaves
looted and scorched property across 300 estates on the island.

Despite the significant property damage caused by the insurgents and the fact that they
considerably outnumbered colonists, all three uprisings were quelled and suppressed with
brutal consequences. Rebel slaves and those who were suspected to have conspired were
tortured and executed. A universal retaliation occurred in all three dominions toward
missionary communities, whom many planters suspected to have instigated the revolts.

The rebellions in the West Indies, accompanied by the brutal suppressions, strengthened
abolitionist arguments regarding the instability of the Caribbean dominions. They argued
that upholding the institution was bound to cause more violence and unrest.

The backlash of the rebellions also fed into anti-slavery narratives that stressed the
immoral, violent and ‘un-British’ nature of the Caribbean planter class. This was an
important element in shifting public opinion against the West India Lobby.

3. Declining image of colonial planters

White colonists in the West Indies were always viewed with suspicion from those in the
metropole. They were often disdained for their excessively ostentatious displays of
wealth and their gluttonous habits.

In the aftermath of the rebellions, accusations made against colonists, as to their bad taste
and lack of class, were strengthened by reports of the violent backlashes.

Divisions were not only created between the planter class and the general public in
Britain, but within the West India Lobby itself. Cracks were beginning to emerge
between local or “creole” planters and the absentee proprietor community residing in
 Britain. The latter group were becoming increasingly favourable to the idea of
emancipation if sufficient compensation was granted.

Local planters were far more invested in the institution, not only financially, but
culturally and socially, and so they resented the fact that planters in Britain were
ignorantly willing to sacrifice slavery in return for remuneration.

4. Overproduction and economic deterioration

One of the most convincing arguments presented to parliament during the emancipation
debates highlighted the economic deterioration of the West Indian colonies. In 1807, it
could be proven that the Caribbean dominions remained Britain’s most lucrative colonies
in terms of trade. This was no longer the case by 1833.

The main reason why the colonies were struggling was because plantations were
overproducing sugar. According to the Colonial Secretary, Edward Stanley, sugar
exported from the West Indies had risen from 72,644 tons in 1803 to 189,350 tons by
1831 – this now far exceeded domestic demand. As a result, the price of sugar fell. Sadly,
this only led planters to produce more sugar in order to achieve economies of scale and so
a vicious cycle had been created.

Facing increasing competition from colonies such as Cuba and Brazil, the West Indian
colonies, protected by a monopoly that gave them low-tariff access to the British market,
were beginning to become more of a burden on the British treasury, than a valued asset.

5. Free labour ideology

Economics proved to be one of the first social sciences applied to the political debate
over slavery. Abolitionists attempted to use Adam Smith’s ‘Free Market’ ideology and
apply it to proceedings.

They insisted that free labour was a far superior model as it was cheaper, more productive
and efficient. This was proven by the success of the free labour system employed in the
East Indies.

6. A new whig government

One cannot underestimate the influence of the political environment when it comes to
understanding why emancipation occurred. It is no coincidence that slavery was
abolished only a year after the Great Reform Act of 1832 and the subsequent election of a
Whig Government under the leadership of Lord Grey.

The Reform Act had allowed the Whigs to achieve a large majority in the House of
Commons, eradicating ‘rotten boroughs’ that had previously gifted parliamentary seats to
wealthy members of the West Indian Interest. The election in 1832 had led to a further
200 pledged candidates who were in favour of ending slavery.
 7. Compensation
Many historians have rightly argued that without the promise of compensation for
slaveholders, an abolition bill would not have received enough support to pass in
parliament. Originally proposed as a £15,000,000 loan, the government soon pledged a
grant of £20,000,000 to approximately 47,000 claimants, some of whom owned only a
few slaves and others who owned thousands.

Compensation allowed the British government to attain support from a significant

proportion of absentee proprietors who could be secure in the knowledge that their
financial re-imbursement could be re-invested in other commercial enterprises.

Resource used to find information: https://www.historyhit.com/reasons-why-britain-abolished-

slavery/

The Amelioration proposals

The amelioration proposal (1823)
• Women were not to be flogged.
• Overseers and drivers should not carry whips.
• Enslaved males were to be punished 24 hours after the offence
occurred.
• A record of all punishments of enslaved males must be kept.
• Pregnant women and children should have a better diet.
• Religious Instruction was to be provided to all enslaved Africans
(Figure 4.4 .1 ).
• Church marriage between enslaved men and women was to be
encouraged.
• Families were not to be separated.
• Sunday market was to be abolished and another market day
allocated. Sunday was reserved for worship.
• Evidence of slaves was to be admitted in court.
• Enslaved Africans would be allowed to purchase their freedom if
they could pay the manumission fees.
• Protectors of slaves were to be appointed

What were social, economic, and political factors which led to the abolition of slavery in the
Caribbean.
Social:
1. The public became more aware of the treatment and the conditions that enslaved had to
endure and this generated empathy amongst the whites.
2. Some chose boycotted sugar from the British West Indices.
3. They were a lot more citizens that were willing to sign potation and lobby their political
representatives for them to pass bills in their parliament to end slavery .
4. Some would join abolitionist movements
The idea of slavery became unpopular amongst British citizens
Economical:
1. Slavery led to monoculture which was dangerous to the economy.
 2. Slavery prevented the development of the manufacturing industry.
3. The plantation were no longer profitable because the of the over supply of good lowered
the profit of goods.
4. The slavery system was inefficient, wasteful, and unproductive. There was always the
problem of a high rate of mortality, willful or carless damage, maintenance of very
young and old slaves and ever-rising replacement factors.
Political:
1. Slavery was contrary to reason, justice, nature, the principles of law and government, the
whole doctrine of the whole voice of God.
2. Because they weren’t re invested in the colony there would be a neglect in amenities, so
it would not help Governors to get reelected.
3. People may not vote for the same people in the parliament if they did not try to get
slavery abolished because so people would not be able to be in the parliament. The also
infiltrate the parliament.

4- The main provisions of the Emancipation Act and the problems of the apprenticeship system.
What were the main provision of the Emancipation Act
 Slave children under six years old were to be freed immediately.
 Slave over six would have to serve an apprenticeship of six years in the case of field
slaves, and four years in the case of all others.
 Apprentices should work for not more than forty-five hours per week without pay and
additional hours with pay.
 Apprentices should be provided with food and clothing the master.
 Compensation in the form of a free gift of £20,000,000 should be paid to slave owners
throughout the British empire on conditions that local legislature passed laws to bring
emancipation.
 The apprenticeship period could be shortened, but no alternative to apprenticeship would
be allowed.
Problem of Apprenticeship.
1. The masters would find ways to not pay them if the work out of the exploit the 45 hours
by pick at what apprentices did so they did not get paid.
2. They would make up charges against apprentices to have the arrested and they had to
work of the time to make up for being in jail.
3. The stipendiary mandetrates that were supposed to help them they were biased.
.
 September 20, 2022
History
Theme 4: Movement Towards Emancipation
Abolition:
To stop or terminate an act or law
 British territories 1834
 Abolished slave trade in
1807- an end to the
movement of Africans as
cargo across the Atlantic.
Emancipation:
Being set free from socio-political
and economic restrictions
 In the British territory Aug.
1, 1838 (ended 2 years
early)
 In the French territory 1848
1816 Registration Bill: Apprenticeship:
Intended to prevent planters from A period of ‘training’ of the
continuing to trade slaves illegally. enslaved population to prepare
They had to register their slaves. them to work as free people and for
wages
Theme 4:
Movement Towards Emancipation
Amelioration: 1823
– To make better or improve
– An attempt to improve the condition
of enslavement in order to placate the
Abolitionist: Someone who abolitionists
fights/advocates to change the laws Response to Amelioration:
in regard to slavery or put and end  In some colonies people got
to the act itself crueler
 (Trinidad) Enslavers reject
fiercely
 Some people ignored it.
 Some planters talked about
independence
 The anti-enslavement campaign
case got stronger
Proposals:
 No whipping for women
 No whip in fields
 Punishment for males should be
postponed for 24 hours.