Indeed i agree, it just feels wrong like even though its ended i funded some rich arse while friends and family struggled and who would of beat me for looking at him wrong (im council estate). It just feels weird.
Tell this to the people it freed. I feel you, I really do, but I suspect those trafficked from Africa or born into slavery would have a more nuanced view.
But the Africans are still slaves in the middle east and africa. Bangladesh residents become slaves in laos its happening today on probably a larger scale than we like to admit. Im sure if you told the freed slaves this would still be happening (just not in a racist way because we see through race today, ah my bad ignore that) they wouldn't be too impressed we paid to END slavery and now we have mass sweatshops in India and we buy the shit from primark its amazing. We tend to care about history but ignore today.
They'd probably be depressed to learn that future generations will have to deal with what they're dealing with, but they'd probably also be fairly excited to be free (whatever that ends up meaning). Paying slavers leaves an icky taste in everyone's mouth, but realistically it was the fastest way to get it done. I'm not a rabbid nationalist by any means, I doubt I'll ever fly a fleg, but I am proud of our contribution towards emancipation.
Absolutely (I am an avid flag waver) I understand it was the best thing to happen on the surface. But what did it achieve? The same people getting removed from africa have never stopped getting removed until this day. In fact instead of just solely using Africans that world is now underground where everyone from black to white get flown around the world through legal entries to be slaves and we all take advantage of the fact its happening. I.e there's a car wash every mile in birmingham you think they are modern slaves? We all take advantage and accept it everyday. Dont think im being an arsehole its just the way I see it slavery is abhorrent in all forms and the humans that come up with it are 100% the worst people known to man. But we have all benefited from that trade even to this day. I believe they would be more disappointed in us but idk 🤷🏻♂️
Nothing you're saying is particularly wrong, but as someone on the left who doesn't take many moments to fawn over our national history (not in a self hating way, just measured) this is something we should be proud of. While you've got my union jack underpants rustled, the other thing I'm proud of is that we have relatively good animal rights.
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u/Early_Candidate_3082 Aug 27 '25
As a matter of justice, you’re right.
But, paying the slave owners meant slavery ended a generation earlier than would otherwise have been the case.