October 2011 edition

> download the October 2011 edition of the Public Sphere newsletter (PDF, 528KB)

Editorial

Slavery in one form or another has existed almost from the beginning of human history. It was present in the ancient civilisations of Rome and Egypt. The first Europeans to begin trading in slaves from Africa were the Spanish in 1502. They were followed by the Portuguese, Dutch, French and British.

As colonisation began to spread and plantation farming took hold, so did the need for mass, cheap labour. This was especially true for sugar plantations as the increasing demand for sugar in the Western world outstripped the number of indentured labourers who were willing to emigrate.

With the permission and agreement of local African chiefs and kings, a series of forts were established along the West African coast, or the ‘slave coast’ as it came to be known. These forts became a convenient and lucrative marketplace for the slave trade and also served as collection points for the criminals and prisoners of war who were being sold for shipment across the Atlantic. Local African chiefs were themselves heavily involved in the trade.

Although the scenario of white slavers going inland to collect slaves is probably accurate on some occasions, it appears that most Europeans were happy to purchase slaves from African traders who would bring them to the coastal forts. The slaves would be exchanged for guns, gunpowder, rum, gin or domestic utensils such as brass cooking pots.

Clearly, the examination of world history proves that man’s inhumanity to man wasn’t always restricted by race or nationality. There have always been those who were eager to exploit others for personal gain. Tragically, according to the picture emerging with regard to modern slavery (trafficking) around the world, not much has changed. It may no longer be legal to profit from slave ownership, yet it would appear that it is perfectly legal to ‘rent’ their lives for exploitative commercial gain, with much of that gain enmeshed in consumer products at bargain basement prices, readily available for sale here in New Zealand and throughout the developed countries.

By Chris Frazer (Social Justice Advocate, Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit)