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The Atlantic slave trade was considered among the main pillars of the economy in the western region between the 16th and 19th centuries. African people were transported via the Atlantic Ocean and sold to the elites as properties. Unfortunately, some of the African leaders acted as intermediaries attacking and capturing fellow Africans and selling them to the Europeans. The symbiotic business relationship led to the rise of the slave trade across the world until its ban by the American and British governments in 1807 (Inikori 39). The concerns of human rights activists pushed for the Civil War in the United States which ultimately led to the abolishment of slavery.
Furthermore, the slave trade was no longer compatible with industrial capitalism, and as a result the western countries were willing to seek alternative means of boosting their economies. In the late 19th century, the Europeans spread across Africa in the name of ending slavery, facilitating civilization, and introducing education. However, none of these factors were the main reason for colonization. Colonialism was not meant to end slavery but to explore and exploit Africa’s resources at all costs.
Although slavery had been abolished by the beginning of the 19th century, there were still merchants and countries which participated in the illegal slave trade. As a result, the white saw local slavery as an opportunity to win Africans’ trust by condemning and fighting against the kingdoms which acted as intermediaries. Internal slavery was more inhumane compared to the external practice because black people were mistreating and selling their friends and families for rewards (Inikori 41). Consequently, when the colonialists managed to oppose and eradicate internal slavery, Africans were convinced that the former’s intentions were pure.
Nonetheless, the West’s show of kindness in ending slave trade in Africa was a demonstration of hypocrisy. The internal slavery was only a result of the trans-Atlantic slavery which was championed by the Europeans. The Yoruba of Nigeria, Ashanti of Ghana, and the Bono State are some of the African kingdoms which actively participated in local slave trading. Similarly, the members of the Nyamwezi of Tanzania and the Imbangala of Angola captured slaves on behalf of foreign merchants (Inikori 45). The prominence of the trans-Atlantic slave trade made slavery an acceptable business cementing regional business relationships such as the trans-Saharan. The practice which had developed among the Africans was a mirror of the Atlantic slave trade introduced by the Spanish, British, French, Portuguese, and the Dutch.
Consequently, fighting against slave trade was mere pretense because the Europeans were the originators of the practice. The main reason for colonization was not to abolish internal slavery but to explore and exploit the resources in Africa. In the mid-18th and early 19th centuries, the countries in the West experienced the industrial revolution characterized by advanced manufacturing processes (Inikori 53). As a result, capitalism became the new political and economic system with a few individuals owning the industries. This group saw the trans-Atlantic slave trade as a source of cheap and readily available labor and, therefore, invested a lot of money in the business.
Unfortunately, slavery became incompatible with capitalism as the elite began to buy Africans as a symbol of wealth and the practice was no longer crucial to Europe’s economy. Colonialism became the alternative to supporting the western countries and the leaders in charge sent representatives to conquer African countries in the name of ending slavery and spreading civilization.
To conclude, slavery is considered among the worst immoral practices in the world to date. However, in the early times, it was also seen as a means of businesses and the countries in Europe and America invested heavily in the activity. The trans-Atlantic slave trade which led to local slavery among the Africans benefited western nations by supplying them with cheap labor. However, when slavery proved to be ineffective in supporting industrial capitalism, the western countries picked colonialism as an alternative approach to boosting their economies. Consequently, the British, Spanish, Dutch, and other colonialists camped in Africa not to end local slavery but to exploit its resources.
Work Cited
Inikori, Joseph E. “Slavery in Africa and the Transatlantic Slave Trade”. The African Diaspora, edited by Austine Jalloh and Stephen E. Maizlish, A & M University Press, 1996, pp. 39-55.
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