Ramifications of slavery and impact

V.R.K. de Silva

Quoting Abbe Renal look at that shipbuilder who, bent over his desk, determines, his pen in hand, how many crimes he can make occur on the coast of Guinea.

Who examines at leisure the number of guns he will have need of to obtain a black, how many chains and iron collars with spikes he will need to have him garroted, how many strokes of the whip to make him work.

This was the life of the poor slave. In ships that carried the ill, and sickly thy were thrown overboard to feed the sharks. They now talk of piracy when they were then the greatest in this filed.

Gaudy living

Queen Elizabeth 1st knighted Walter Raleigh for his services to England for piracy and they now talk of Somalia.

As a consequence of these despicable activities Society underwent a change which was phenomenal.

There was vulgar spending and conspicuous gaudy living. The gentlemen who profited from this gory money was respected and held in awe.

Spacious houses were built by them which rivaled and surpassed the palaces off the old order.

A new class of individuals who acquired power status and wealth was spawned. To cite a few names familiar in history in England as an example would be Burke, disraeli Coleridge, Carlyle, Gladstone family and so many others.

Surprisingly they have their reputation founded on this doubtful doubts and dishonourable base.

Cities underwent an unprecedent change in Liverpool though well known because every brick was cemented by the military genius blood of slaves. This city surpassed London in commercial superiority. So was Rouen in France rivaled Paris.

There was a parallel cultural imperialism which was spawned with this trade, which again by means of the power of the gum and not by any spiritual superiority and excellence educational system and values too changed in accordance with this trade.

Inhuman conditions

The Caribbean and the Americas were opened up for plantations sugar cane, tobacco, cotton, palm oil. These plantations were worked by the slaves under inhuman conditions and consequently there often were revolts. Haiti thus became the first free salve state in the world led by Toussaint.

Overture the first among blacks. The American Revolution gave a spurt to the slave trade in North America.

It should be remembered that as a matter of American policy the indigenous population was decimated and if some remained they are confined to reservations in America and Canada.

We see in the salve trade the absolute degradation dehumanization the total lack of morality when the European Nations had even attempted to have a European Common Market for Slaves, the forerunner of the present European Union.

Proposal supported

Napoleon was enamoured by a united Europe. This proposal was supported by every European nation, the chief proponents being England, France, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Netherlands' but fell through because of the excessive greed of the Dutch for a bigger share of profit.

The question may be asked how these countries could today talk of human rights when they were guilty of the worst excesses of human suffering. They have still made no redress or recompense.

A verdict of crimes against humanity would be most appropriate against them, both then and now.

The guilt of the slave trade cannot be expressed more lucidly than the exclamation of William Pill in the House of Commons, "No nation in Europe has plunged so deeply into this guilt as Great Britain. And yet Britain has not learnt its lesson or not paid its price yet.

Medical mission

In fashioning our country's foreign policy especially our relations with the African states understanding of the African psyche is necessary to take into account the slave question. The consequent dismemberment of society in Africa and the untold suffering inflicted on Africa.

As a matter of goodwill we should immediately send a medical mission to Zimbabwe to combat the cholera epidemic which would win the hearts and minds of the people of Africa.

We should maintain the most cordial and friendly relations with the African people and always stand by them in the assault open and covert against them from the West.

Compared to the refreshing ethics and high morality and humanizing efforts of Emperor Asoka and the great emperors of China who lived and ruled in the East followed the elevating compassion of the Buddha.

The question of the slave trade cannot be treated with justice in this short essay but conclude that the capital accumulations and formation of Europe and Americas was through unprecedented moral degeneration greed and venality as opposed to capital accumulation based on self-reliance as extolled by the sacred Thathagatha over 2500 years ago was practised in modern times in one of the most momentous acts the electrification of the Soviet Union by the great Lenin for the welfare of the people to found a society where there is neither a slave nor a master.

This is written with no anger, ill will or rancour but is a statement of truth.

Concluded