The Importance Of Slavery In The British Empire
The slavery in the British Empire was abolished in July 1833 by the slavery abolition bill. There have been a lot of views over the factors that led Britain to the antislavery act in that particular time. First of all the Britain changed its economic interests, as the industrial revolution took hold in the 18th century set a new system which no longer required the slave work. The country could get more profit from the free trade and free labor. Besides that the sugar was replaced by the cotton, which became the main produce of the British economy. Furthermore, when the America became independent, the profit from the Britain's sugar colonies, such as Jamaica and Barbados, declined as America now could trade directly with the French and Dutch
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However, the Atlantic slave trade was not extinguished in a few years. The British realized that abolition could be effective if the principle of abolition is extended to the rest of the word. That is why the abolition of the slave trade became a major factor of the British foreign policy. The main goal was to persuade other nations to recognize the anti-slavery treaties and allow British naval officers to arrest the slave importers. The British foreign office used every provided opportunity to discuss these principles with other nations. Despite the fact that the diplomatic relationship between Britain and the other slave trade nations were endangered by this policy, the acceptance of the foreign policy became popular among English people. The public opinion continued a pressure on the government in the interest of international abolition that took nearly 60 years of diplomacy and naval patrolling to finally abolish the Atlantic slave trade. At the same years the United Kingdom and the United States outlawed the international slave trade and ordered the blockade of the slave ships. In case the Violation of the law The Act imposed a fine of £100 for every slave found aboard a British ship (Jones ,2012). It should be noted that the act which outlawed the slave trade, but not slavery itself was unable to stop the slave
However, the Atlantic slave trade was not extinguished in a few years. The British realized that abolition could be effective if the principle of abolition is extended to the rest of the word. That is why the abolition of the slave trade became a major factor of the British foreign policy. The main goal was to persuade other nations to recognize the anti-slavery treaties and allow British naval officers to arrest the slave importers. The British foreign office used every provided opportunity to discuss these principles with other nations. Despite the fact that the diplomatic relationship between Britain and the other slave trade nations were endangered by this policy, the acceptance of the foreign policy became popular among English people. The public opinion continued a pressure on the government in the interest of international abolition that took nearly 60 years of diplomacy and naval patrolling to finally abolish the Atlantic slave trade. At the same years the United Kingdom and the United States outlawed the international slave trade and ordered the blockade of the slave ships. In case the Violation of the law The Act imposed a fine of £100 for every slave found aboard a British ship (Jones ,2012). It should be noted that the act which outlawed the slave trade, but not slavery itself was unable to stop the slave