Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
Abolitionism

Whop1

Click images or captions to view pages

Thomas Clarkson

Thomas Clarkson

Return

Historians have a question: Why did Great Britain go to all the trouble to create the largest, far-flung Imperialist Empire of Colonial states based upon slavery and its concomittant ideology of racism? This required administration and defense: a very expensive reality, then create an ideology of "Abolitionism"? An answer to this question continues to be contentious: the historians do not agree. Thus the viewpoint expressed here is one that can be accepted, or rejected by the reader.

First, Abolitionism NEVER opposed slavery. What was opposed was chattel slavery: only one form of slavery. In chattel slavery, the slave is considered legal property — to be bought, sold and owned, or disposed of as wished (including killing the slave). Furthermore, the chattel slave can not own property, his children are slaves as well. The slave's "wife" may not be viewed as "his". In general, European women cannot in own property (property becomes the property of her master (her husband). A woman has few legal rights. In this context, female slaves are not women (they are not even human) nor is her slave "husband". Legal protections non-existent except for the master.

Another form of slavery is peonage slavery: the slave to live can never pay for clothes, food, tools, etc. required. Thus the slave gets deeper and deeper in debt, his children inherit the debt, and all progeny yet to be born over several generations become further enslaved for generations on end. The slaves are never legally owned, but are indebted for the air they breath.

There are other forms of slavery. However, not all forms of slavery are "negative". Thus there are forms of slavery that the slaves positively desired. Examples are slavery in which the slave gets food to live (in times of famine). Slaves often exist in a hierarchy. Thus full slaves, half slaves, quarter slaves. Such a hierarchy might exist in property the slave is allowed to work: a full plot, half a plot, a quarter of a plot, or no plot at all.

A "working" definition of slavery is "dependency". A slave is an entity (may not be viewed as human) that depends on an owner (or someone). In this view of slavery, a slave may have access to property (including food). Thus the slave may be a source of wealth to his family (his family gets food, or money, etc.). Thus women from the Cuman steppes, destined to an Ottoman Paşha's harem, might seek out this form of slavery to support impoverished relatives.

Thus palace slaves might be considered fortunate indeed! Thus a king (quite wealthy) might be dependent upon his generals (thus the king is a slave). The king's generals (wealthy) might be dependent upon the king (and also be slaves). Indeed, all might be slaves save god himself (but there might be a hierarchy of gods, a heavenly hierarchy of dependency), in which case some gods might be slaves too!

Modern slavery was based upon African dark-skinned slaves traded to be used on a large scaled plantation or part of a labor force used in mines. Such slaves were originally from the West coast of Africa. They were transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the New World: Brazil (Portuguese South America), the Caribbean Islands, North America (and other destinations). Later, France, Portugal, Holland, etc. took part in this trade, not only to the New World, but to Asia, African East or West Coast or Indian Ocean destinations. Thus Abolitionism opposed Atlantic chattel slavery (NOT African inland slavery nor Indian Ocean slavery).

Slaves escaped. Slaves were "stolen" from slaving companies and illegally appropriated by those that worked in this slave industry. At first, branding was used to keep track of the "inventory". Eventually people realized that rather than transport slaves from Africa to the New World, in which a sizable proportion of the "inventory" died or disappeared, it was wiser (and more economical) to leave the slaves on the African continent and simply take over the African continent. Thus was modern Colonialism born.

How to protect this business, inherently unstable (slave revolts, "raids" by rivals, communicable diseases, etc.)?

England is its Navy
The Navy is Sugar
Sugar is Slaves

In order to increase the value of raw products like sugar, cotton (Manchester), tobacco, indigo, hemp, coal, mercury, iron, gold silver, diamonds, emeralds, pearls (all the objects found in Elizabethan poetic "blazons" in "sonets", "sestinas", "elegies", "songs", "madragals", etc.). It is obvious that reducing the volume or weight of the raw products is the cheapest way to transport the products for distribution. Thus exactly the opposite was done! Why? Why increase the cost? The raw products needed to be transported to England where all industrial processing of refinement was concentrated (the industrial revolution). Industry confined to England. The countries of origin of raw products are kept underdeveloped (and impoverished). In order to accomplish this, circa 20% more ships were needed. However, this is not an undue expence. Having 20% more ships makes a larger standing Navy. Ships used to transport raw goods can become part of the military Naval force when needed. Hence, defense of the Colonial enterprise while simultaneously supporting industrialism! The Industrial Revolution ceased to be based upon wood and sale (sailing ships), instead shifting to coal as an energy source, and steam engines made from iron and steel. Aristocrats managing fazendas or Plantación de azúcar esclavo (plantations) replaced by ""managers of industries".

Now the point of this review of history:

England is its Navy
The Navy is Sugar
Sugar is Slaves

As a syllogism: England is its slaves!

The most dangerous rival for England was France. Why France? Because France also had slaves. In particular, the greatest source of slave power was in French Haiti. Haitian slaves could be used to finance another industrial revolution and its concomitant - French Colonialism: a French Industrial Revolution! To prevent this, Abolitionism was born.

Some historians place great emphasis upon an Abolitionism as a basis of Enlightenment moral advance. The last claim on an "escaped" slave in an English court of law took place in 1950. Morality fell asleep once French industrialism was retarded. 1, 2, 3 As of c. 1990, the going price of a slave in Morocco was $35 (U.S. dollars). The morality of Slavery remains quite asleep, a forgotten issue. The Enlightenment with Voltaire proposing genocide and the great thinker, Immanuel Kant, insisting on racism (opposing the views of his student, Johann Gottfried von Herder), or John Locke's support of the genocide of Amerindians based upon Biblical injunction (use the land well, or forfeit use of the land - assuming all the world's people are bound by the Bible - ever hear of Anthropology)? Incredible! We still support the idiocy of the Enlightenment?

The Chawton novels "Mansfield Park", "Emma", and "Persuasion", under close examination, reveal that Jane Austen was very aware of Abolitionist writers such as Thomas Clarkson, William Cowper, and Doctor Johnson, and viewed the ideology (propaganda) of these writers favorably. The most interesting book with this viewpoint is "Jane Austen in the Context of Abolition: 'a fling at the slave trade'", by Gabrielle D. White (Chapter 2: "Mansfield Park", Chapter 3: "Emma", Chapter 4: "Persuasion").

Mansfield Park

  1. Preface and Chaper 1: Mansfield Park
    Cowper's "The Task", Book two: 'We have no slaves at home - then why abroad?'. One might be reminded of 'Am I not a Man and a Brother?' (Josiah Wedgewood, 1787). Of course, not to be perverse, but wealthy Abolitionist Richard Oastler noted the "Yorkshire slaves" of the English textile industry in 1830 (ignoring the coal working women and children). "Awareness of the plight of those brought by the slave trade into slavery may be the main focus of the reference to the slave trade in Mansfield Park and Emma".

  2. Quick summary of chapter 2: Mansfield Park
    'I suppose I am graver than other people,' said Fanny. 'The evenings do not appear long to me. I love to hear my uncle talk of the West Indies. I could listen to him for an hour together. It entertains me more than many other things have done - but then I am unlike other people I dare say... Did you not hear me ask him about the slave trade last night?'

    'I did - and was in hopes the question would be followed up by others. It would have pleased your uncle to be inquired of farther.'

    'And I longed to do it - but there was such a dead silence! And while my cousins were sitting by without speaking a word, or seeming at all interested in the subject, I did not like - I thought it would appear as if I wanted to set myself off at their expense, by shewing a curiousity and pleasure in his information which he must wish his own daughters to fee.' 4

    "The quotation twice by Fanny from William Cowper's work is suggestive of the topic of abolition because Cowper's abolitionist poetry had become well-known. Quotation stimulates association of ideas between the references to Cowper on the one hand and abolitionism on the other hand. Association of ideas could also be provoked by the name 'Mansfield' in the novel's title, following Lord Chief Justice Mansfield's 1772 decision, not least because of its celebrtion by Cowper in The Task." 5

    "Lady Bertram although used to her husband's being away in London disliked Sir Thomas going to Antigua,"..."she is reconsiled not only to her son Tom's [the profligate son] absence... Tom's own absence is noted, as it occurs in England and in his being taken to Antigua to separate him from the company he had been keeping." 6

    "Sir Thomas tries to redress his absenteeism from Antigua by his absence instead from England... His absence extends to two years." 7 Pluralism and Absenteeism "...would be borne out in legislaion of 1838, under which no more than two simultaneous livings were to be allowed and those no more than 10 miles apart,..." 8

    Several arguments, some based upon Cowper's "The Task" that ownership of slave plantations inherited from absentee plantation owners are not appreciated by the children of the owners: undermining their abilities to properly take careof their interests (ownersip of slaves is enslaving the slave owners ('Ye fallen avenues...'.), 'Slaves cannot breathe in England...', both from Cowper's "The Task". 9

  3. Quick summary of chapter 3: Emma
    "Offices for the sale - not quite of human flesh - but of human intellect." 10 In "Emma", "... Mrs Elton and Mr Suckling's estate Maple Grove..." "The link with the slave trade is via Mr Suckling as the owner of Maple Grove and brother-in law of Mrs Elton. Mr Suckling 'was always rather a friend to the abolition'. In addition to their being discredited, there is the opportunity to consider that just as Mrs Elton is not much of a friend to Jane Fairfax so Mr Suckling may not be much of a friend to the abolition." 11 The issues here are the "slave trade" vs "slavery". Thomas Clarson History, 1808: " ...the arguments being used to discredit the one could also be used (as they later were) to discredit the other. To this extent the position from which the second stage of the assault would be launched was already being prepared. Nevertheless, the fact remains that so long as the struggle over the trade continued, little thought was given to the practical problems of coping with slavery itself. 12 "

    In simple terms, any discredit of the slave trade is simultaneously a discredit to the issue of slavery itself. A argument is then constructed based upon logic (reasoning). As there are many distinct logics, it would appear as though logic (rhetoric) might be appealed to to distinguish between the "slave trade" and "slavery".

    An argument is invented based upon biblical fable ('one flesh' which derives from the Genesis Creation story of Eve as a companion for Adam). "the sale - not quite of human flesh", and on the other hand the sale of "human intellect". "[M]arrying for money" vs "a related idea of becoming the mistress of a wealthy admirer.", or even 'postitution'. Later, the "Maple Grove" estate is discussed, being located near Bristol (a major slave trade port), with an immense plantation all round it! Thus wealthy aristocrats may be not far removed from purchased slaves. Also Clarkson had visited Birmingham, where are located "gun manufacturers, whose products were used in exchange for slaves on the West african coast. 13 The question of the "slave trade" vs "slavery" comes up again.

    "In any case, being a victim of 'governess-trade' does not so much describe carrying out the duties of a governess as applying at the 'Offices for the sale...advertising offices' and so being a victim of those who trade in posts. (Distinguishing being a "governess" from the office of hiring governesses, as in the trade of slaves vs being a slave).

    A further argument is invented: 'the abolition' [of the slave trade] is a one-off event, as opposed to 'slavery' [a continuum]. More word play (not morality).

    Finaly the job of governess (analogous to being a slave) vs the victim of trading in governesses (dealer in slaves). Yet more word play. Can real distinctions be discovered? Yes indeed: A slave lacks autonomy. A slave loses feeling, imagination, and creativity. 14

  4. Quick summary of chapter 4: Persuasion
    In 1807, the Royal Navy did an abrupt reversal in its policies, from protecting the slave trade to enforcing the abolition of the slave trade.

    "She [Jane Austen] would not need to say what had happened in 1807; any reader of the time would know. With two brothers in the Navy, one of them voicing anti-slavery views, there is every reason to suppose that the potential work of enforcing the abolition of 1807 would have been known to her. Independently of the measure of her agreement with her brothers, they were a source of points of view and information.

    Edward Said is right to note the emphasis on the Navy, but he misses the significance. There is a contrast with the villinous admiral of an earlier generation in Mansfield Park, who had corrupted the young Crawfords. The presence of the Navy permeates Persuasion, and throughout it is seen as a profession of humane men and of fearless prize-winning feats at sea making for honourably won wealth. 'This peace will be turning all our rich Navy Officers ashore' says Mr Shepherd, cautious lawyer, visiting Kellynch Hall and, having just 'laid down the newspaper', addressing himself in chapter 3 to the financial embarrassment of Sir Walter. The reference to peace could draw attention to the external world, including the need for radical changes in deployment of the Royal Navy.

    As exemplified in the 'foolish, spendthrift baronet', Anne's father, the traditional landed element is by no means more impressive, but rather the reverse. The Royal Navy is seen as a force for freedom and progress. Anne escapes into it 'belonging to that profession'. John Winton in connection with the Navy policing the abolition of the slave trade quotes William Cowper:


    'Slaves cannot breath in England; if their lungs receive our air, that moment they are free; They touch our country, and their shacles fall'. So wrote William Cowper in The Task in 1785...The carriage of slaves in British vessels was abolished in 1807. In 1811, slave-trading was made a felony, punishable by 14 years imprisonment.15

Abolitionist Propaganda 16

  1. Forcing a man from his home "The Negro's Complaint": W. Cowper
  2. Coffle of captured slaves being transported to the Baracoon (Fonduk)
  3. Slaves being Transported across the Atlantic "The Negro's Complaint": W. Cowper
  4. Slaves Arrive in the British West Indies "The Negro's Complaint": W. Cowper
  5. Slave-Market in the (British) West Indies "The Negro's Complaint": W. Cowper
  6. Slaves Tortured in British West Indies "The Negro's Complaint": W. Cowper
  7. Slaves Preferentially Tortured (Enlightenment Racism) in British West Indies "The Negro's Complaint": W. Cowper
  8. Slaves Appeal for Mercy "The Negro's Complaint": W. Cowper
  9. Slaves MUST do hard labour ("Arbeit macht frei") "The Negro's Complaint": W. Cowper
  10. Masters get Drunk and Carouse (rape slaves) "The Negro's Complaint": W. Cowper
  11. The Address "The Negro's Complaint": W. Cowper
  12. Masters Punish Slaves "The Negro's Complaint": W. Cowper
  13. Tornados "The Negro's Complaint": W. Cowper
  14. William Cowper Negro's Complaint Bargaining for Slaves "The Negro's Complaint": W. Cowper
  15. Am I not a man and a brother?
  16. We have no slaves at home - why then abroad?
  17. Pro-slavery Propaganda: Slaves Dance and are Happy!
  18. Caliban and Sambo: Emancipation Proclamation

Jane Austen and British Colonialism

Why might Jane Austen oppose British slavery in the British Colonial empire? Two interrelated aspects of life on aristocratic rural estates was threatened by colonialist slavery. Pluralism and absenteeism were a major problem. Aristocrats and wealthy new merchants owned palaces in England, but often simultaneously owned sugar plantations in the British West Indies: pluralism of properties. Such wealthy and powerful men had an honourable obligation to regulate their properties, ensuring that poor farmers, small business men, peasants (uneducated poor farmers) etc. were properly absorbed on aristocratic lands and towns. If this were properly done, then acts of violence such as riots due to poverty could be avoided. However, if these aristocrats had multiple holdings, the aristocrats could not simultaneously be at these holdings to supervise what was happening. These wealthy men had to be at one estate or another (thus absent) at at least one estate. The more so if one estate is in England, while another estate is in the British West Indies (or India or Africa)! These wealthy absentee lords often spent years away from their families. These lords became alcoholics in the lax slave environments, and became riddled with diseases (syphilis, yellow fever, malaria, etc.). These lords often had several Black mistresses and mixed race children (click to see). These lords often cared not the least for their wives, (still in England, if alive). These wives had to live too. They became absentee wives (wives without husbands). These wives took lovers. Aristocratic children became absentee children (with both parents absentee parents, the children were abandoned to housekeepers and were absentee children). Thus the aristocratic or wealthy family environment disintegrated. Any wives that might escape had also to contend with living in a society in which women were shuned if educated, were expected to concern themselves only with cosmetics, fashions, jewels, vacuous conversation, anything but intellectual achievement. Exactly what concerned the Bluestockings. Indeed! Wives became bought cattle (slave mentality), husbands became bought cattle (slave mentality): "He is worth £5,000 ... she is £6,000". Just as Black slaves were bought and sold, so were the members of aristocratic and wealthy palace dwellers. The wealthy could no longer really support a colonial empire, nor could their incapacitated children. This was not new. The older New World Colonies had the same problems (Portuguese in African Kongo, African Mozambique, and Brazil, Spain in the New World, too. Ancient Rome fell: beset by the same problems.) Why should the British Colonies in the New World, Africa, and India be spared? 17, 18, 19 Thus the context of slavery, Abolitionism, and the education of women were forefront in Jane Austen's thinking and writing. The true Bluestocking ought to be focused upon political affairs, including History, Philosophy, Rhetoric, Poetry, Aesthetics, Mathematics, Cartography, Economics, Military Affairs, etc, most certainly NOT misconstrued with an Enlightenment idiotic "suffrage". 20

Bibliography

  1. Eger, Elizabeth; Peltz, Lucy; "Brilliant Women: 18th-Century Bluestockings"
  2. Eger, Elizabeth, Ed.; "Bluestockings" Displayed: Portraiture, Performance and Patronage, 1730-1830"
  3. Fleishman, Avrom; "A Reading of Mansfield Park: An Essay in Critical Synthesis"
  4. Freyre, Gilberto; "Casa-grande e senzala" ("The Masters and the Slaves", English)
  5. Gibbon, Edward; "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire"
  6. Said, Edward W.; "Culture and Imperialism"
  7. Stedman, John; "Narrative of a five years expedition against the revolted Negroes of Surinam",
    engravings by William Blake
  8. Stevenson, Ana; "The Woman as Slave in Nineteenth-Century American Social Movements"
  9. Tobin, Beth Fowkes (Ed.); "History, Gender & Eighteenth-Century Literature"
  10. White, Gabrielle D. V.; "Jane Austen in the Context of Abolition: 'a fling at the slave trade'"
  11. Williams, Eric; "Capitalism and Slavery"

1 William Wilberforce opposed Abolitionism due to morality, as morality stands outside time and profitability. If slavery were to be opposed because it ultimately was not profitble, what if it became profitable? However, if slavery were opposed because it was immoral, profit would not affect opposition.
2 British embassy officials in Africa were required to free any slave that reached British territory. These governmental islands were constructed to have a picket fence surrounding buildings. These picket fences were only a few inches away from buildings, leaving as little land for any slave to reach British territory. Guards ensured that slaves never could claim freedom under British law. English ambassadores compained about English moralistic women opposing slavery that pestered the governmental officials.
3 Williams, Eric; "Capitalism and Slavery"
4 White, Gabrielle D. V.; "Jane Austen in the Context of Abolition: 'a fling at the slave trade'", p. 19
5 ibid., p. 21
6 ibid., p. 22
7 ibid., p. 23
8 ibid., p. 24
9 ibid., p. 40
10 ibid., p. 52
11 ibid., p. 52
12 ibid., p. 53
13 ibid., pp. 54-57
14 ibid., pp. 58-63
15 ibid., pp. 76, 77
16 According to Aristotle, Rhetoric (propaganda) focuses upon the art of persuasion, not truth or falsity. What propagandists say may or not be true, that isn't the concern.
17 Freyre, Gilberto; "Casa-grande e senzala" ("The Masters and the Slaves", English)
18 Stedman, John; "Narrative of a five years expedition against the revolted Negroes of Surinam", engravings by William Blake
19 Gibbon, Edward; "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire"
20 The word "idiot" comes from the Greek noun ίδιώτης  idiōtēs 'a private person', ... In Latin, idiota was borrowed, meaning 'uneducated', 'ignorant', 'common', and in Late Latin came to mean 'crude, illiterate, ignorant'.

Back

© Copyright 2006 - 2019    The Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg Trust     Website Terms of Use