"But be happy the Brits ended the slave trade"
A quote from someone upset about the way Britain has been portrayed about its role in the global slave trade. They attempt to make 'emancipation' sound as if this was an act of 'divine generosity,' on the part of the British.
Here are some inconvenient truths:
The British built their entire Empire from Global Colonialism, slavery, theft and genocide.
This global genocide stretched from:
- Canada to Guyana.
- Africa
- Asia
- Australia
- India
- Burma
- Sri Lanka
- New Zealand
- The Caribbean
This lasted for over 400 years, from 1500s until the 1900s.
In the year 2018, Britain still controls numerous colonies throughout the world:
- Anguilla
- Bermuda
- (British) Virgin Islands
- Montserrat
- Cayman Islands
- Gibraltar
- Falkland Islands
- St. Helena
In the year 1834, the British government compensated slave owners throughout the British West Indies and all other colonies for the loss of their slaves, whilst those enslaved, to this date, have received nothing from the British.
Fast forward 200 years.
In September of 2017, the two most devastating hurricanes in recent history, Irma and Maria destroyed the UK Overseas Territories of Anguilla and the Virgin Islands (VI).
Britain was slow to act in their recovery and refused to give adequate funding for their long term rebuilding.
Instead, in an act of neo-colonialism, the UK forced the Territories to adopt erroneous rules sent down from the UK, in order to borrow money to help themselves.
Subsequent to that—in 2018—the UK has voted to enforce that their Overseas Territories, comply with revealing the Beneficial Owners of companies domiciled in said Territories.
This will have a crippling effect on the economies of; Bermuda, Cayman Islands and the VI.
So please tell us, what exactly do we have to thank the British for?
Are they with us or are they against us?
Stay strong my VI Family.
6 Responses to “"But be happy the Brits ended the slave trade"”
Moreover, the UK enriched itself and built its economy from cheap labour and commodities from its colonies. Little to no factories were built in the colonies to put locals to work. All commodities had to be shipped to the UK for use in their factories, putting their people to work. Then inferior products were shipped out to the colonies. However, resources depleted, the colonies are quickly cast adrift. The French took a diffrent approach for their Caribbean colonies.
@Hon Famous & E. Leonard, truth to power. This is real talk. Some may be uncomfortable and inconvenient with the truth and prefer to bury their heads in the sand as ostriches. But truth has no counter. Further, many present day beneficiaries of slavery like to say that slavery was before their time and they should not have to bear the shame though they benefitted from slavery.
Additionally, many wealthy Victorian Britions acquired all or a large part of their fortunes from the slave economy, per the UCL study. Consequently, many families around the UK still indirectly enjoy the proceeds from slavery. The families of some prominent UK citizens benefitted from the compensation, ie, former PM David Cameron, George Orwell(Eric Blair) among others. However, the slaves nor their descendants are not being made whole for the slaves’ exploitation. Other groups have received reparation, ie, Japanese Americans, Indians and Eskimos, Jewish Holocaust survivors.......etc. Where is the reparation for slaves descendants? This is not gratis; it is compensation for the exploitation of their foreparents. The descendants of slave owners are still benefitting so the descendants of slave should also benefit. Just as Britain/UK appropriated money to pay slave owners so too it should appropriate money for slave descendants. Is not what good for the gander also good for goose?