African and Trans-Saharan Roots of Slave Trade
Slavery in Africa was well established before the coming of the Americans and the Europeans[1]. Slavery in Africa had its genesis in wars that resulted to capture of captives. The captives, since they could easily escape from their captors, had to be sold to other places since it would be impossible for them to escape or back to their homes.[2] Moreover, slave trade was used as a way of generating wealth. The simplest form of acquiring land to increase wealth was by having more slaves. These were the earliest ways and reasons for engaging in slave trade in Africa
Atlantic Slave trade represented a Shift in Slaves Trade
The slave trade in Africa did not start with the Atlantic slavery. Indeed, slavery existed in Africa many years before the advent of transatlantic slave trade.[3] In ancient Egypt, slavery flourished as the Egyptians raided neighboring societies in search for slaves. Indeed, the buying and slave of slaves was a common practice along the River Nile. However, although the Egyptians had developed a system of accounting for its slave activities, most African societies did not keep any records. The Arabs and Europeans altered these practices to some extent in the beginning of 7th century. Arab Muslims raided slaves in West, East, and Central Africa for markets in the Asian countries[4]. However, this form of slave trade was significantly changed by the advent of transatlantic slave trade[5]
The Transatlantic slave trade was the genesis of modern capitalism. It saw businesses flourish in both America and in Europe, which significantly contributed to the industrialization of some parts of Europe. It also connected trade among three continents; Europe, America, and Africa.
The Economic Foundations of the Slave Trade
The economic foundations of slave trade were based on elitist thinking, both in American and in Europe. The European and American elites believed that social economic emancipation would be realized by impoverishing others. In addition, they believed in the acquisition of military power to dominate others. To achieve their goal, slave trade was seen as the only option during that time. Indeed, not only did slave trade help the economies of these nations, it also brought a great misery on the African continent.
There is a great disparity between the African countries and other nations, especially European countries and America. The US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia are among the richest countries[6]. The staggering difference between the African countries and these nations is not based on geographic orientation or the natural resources[7]. However, the difference lies in slave trade, which occurred between the sixteenth and nineteenth century. Indeed, slave trade fueled the rise of superpowers such as Britain. The North American economy was largely anchored on the labor provided by slave in their plantations.
The ideology behind slave trade is better understood by looking the elitists thinking in Europe and America before the advent of slave trade. During this time, the elites recognized two overriding goals that would principally propel economic growth in their countries[8]. First, was the rise to military pre-eminence, and secondly was the generation of economic power. To achieve such goals, the elites knew that they had to play a key role in impoverishing other countries. This was the idea advanced by mercantilism intellectuals at that time, and it played a paramount role in engineering slave trade. Indeed, the captures and sell of African men and women led to economic stagnation in the African nations and the destabilization of the continent, while on the other end, the European and American countries continued to exploit cheap labor sourced from Africa. Profits that emanated form slave trade and plantation farming provided the impetus for economic disparities among the nations. This discrepancy continues even to modern times and is the basis of reparations push by African nations[9]
The Middle Passage of the Slave Trade
The middle passage was arguably the most dangerous and dehumanizing component of the slave trade. It goes on to depict how greed and thirst for money can push people to treat others badly. By definition, Middle Passage refers to the journey taken by the ships that were carrying slaves from the West Coast of Africa to their destination, especially Europe and America. The slaves were mostly obtained form West Africa. From West Africa, they were ferried across the Atlantic to their destination. The slave masters traded the slaves with good like molasses, which was used to make alcohol. However, the Middle Passage speaks more than just the transportation and sale of slaves across the globe. It explains the horrible and devastating journey that the slaves underwent to meet the needs of their masters. The slaves were packed tightly like loads of goods. Death in the ships was the order of the days, and cleanliness was never considered. Human cargo stank through the 5-week journey, suffering all manner of diseases.[10]
Sometimes the journey went as long as three months. Although the trade in humanity was profitable to those who practiced it as well as those who made investments in the trade, it represents a tragedy that has no equal in recorded history. Indeed, the suffering of the blacks in the Middle Passage expressed in the death, suffering, and lack of concern goes on to prove that slave trade was an abomination on the face of humanity[11]
The Nature of the Journey
The Middle Passage is a classic example of the insensitivity of the merchants of slave trade and a gross violation of human values. Scholars have argued that it is not possible to gauge the number of those who perished along the journey.[12] This is because only a few records were kept of the journey itself and therefore historians only make an estimate of those who perished. Indeed, there is consensus that only half of the slaves survived the journey. For instance, some historians argue that a journey was considered successful when one-quarter of the slaves died. From this confession, it is true that most of the slaves died en-route to North America. Death in the journey resulted from infectious diseases such as dysentery, smallpox, and ophthalmia. In addition, suffocation was a common issue because of overcrowding and the deplorable living conditions in the ship. The slaves were only fed twice and exercised during times of good weather. However, when the weather was not conducive, the slaves were tucked below the deck all the day and night. The decks carried slaves, both live and dead. In addition, the slaves had to contend with bad smell emanating from human waste, blood, and stinking bodies. Rape of the African women was commonplace, showing how miserable the Africans were in the presence of their captors[13].
Conclusion
Slavery was thriving in Africa before the coming of the slave masters from America and Europe. It was seen as a way of gaining more wealth in Africa. However, the advent of the transatlantic slave trade formed the basis of modern capitalistic thinking in most parts of the world. Many parts of Europe and America owe their growth to slave trade. This growth was mooted by the prevailing thoughts propagated by the elitists who created imbalances as a way of enriching themselves. The movement of slaves from Africa to Europe was not an easy task. The Middle Passage was the journey taken by ships ferrying slaves from Africa to various destinations. However, the journey was the most dehumanizing in this trade. Slaves were mistreated in virtually every manner of life. Indeed, the transatlantic slave trade remains one of the darkest periods in the African history.
Bibliography
Darity, A. William. (2013). “Africa, Europe, and the Origins of Uneven Development: the role of slavery”.http://www.academia.edu/2538384/This_chapter_describes_the_economic_foundations_of_the_Atlantic_slave_trade_and_the_role_of_trade_and_slavery_in_generating_European_and_American_economic_growth_and_the_contemporary (Accessed March 29, 2013)
GhaneaBassiri, Kambiz. A History of Islam in America: From the New World to the New World Order. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010.
Lovejoy, E. Paul. Transformation in Slavery: A History of Slavery in Africa. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011.
Smallwood, E. Stephanie. (2009). Saltwater Slavery: A Middle Passage from Africa to American Diaspora. Harvard: Harvard University Press. “Transatlantic Slave Trade.” http://www.inmotionaame.org/print.cfm;jsessionid=f8301531021364521467101?migration=1&bhcp=1 (Accessed March 29, 2013)
Warnock, Amanda and Falola, Toyin. Encyclopedia of the Middle Passage. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2010.
Wright, R. Donald. “Slavery in Africa.” https://autocww2.colorado.edu/~blackmon/E64ContentFiles/AfricanHistory/SlaveryInAfrica.htm (Accessed March 29, 2013)
[1] “Transatlantic Slave Trade.” http://www.inmotionaame.org/print.cfm;jsessionid=f8301531021364521467101?migration=1&bhcp=1 (Accessed March 29, 2013)
[2] Donald, Wright, R.. “Slavery in Africa.” https://autocww2.colorado.edu/~blackmon/E64ContentFiles/AfricanHistory/SlaveryInAfrica.htm (Accessed29, 2013)
[3] Paul, Lovejoy, E. Transformation in Slavery: A History of Slavery in Africa. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011).
[4] “Transatlantic Slave Trade.” http://www.inmotionaame.org/print.cfm;jsessionid=f8301531021364521467101?migration=1&bhcp=1(Accessed29, 2013)
[5] Kambiz. GhaneaBassiri, A History of Islam in America: From the New World to the New World Order. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010) 17
[6] William. Darity, A. “Africa, Europe, and the Origins of Uneven Development: the role of slavery”. http://www.academia.edu/2538384/This_chapter_describes_the_economic_foundations_of_the_Atlantic_slave_trade_and_the_role_of_trade_and_slavery_in_generating_European_and_American_economic_growth_and_the_contemporary(Accessed march 29, 2013)
[7] Smallwood, E. Stephanie. (2009). Saltwater Slavery: A Middle Passage from Africa to American (Diaspora. Harvard: Harvard University Press)
[8] Darity
[9] William, Darity, A. “Africa, Europe, and the Origins of Uneven Development: the role of slavery.” http://www.academia.edu/2538384/This_chapter_describes_the_economic_foundations_of_the_Atlantic_slave_trade_and_the_role_of_trade_and_slavery_in_generating_European_and_American_economic_growth_and_the_contemporary (Accessed march29, 2013)
[10] Stephanie, Smallwood, E. Saltwater Slavery: A Middle Passage from Africa to American (Diaspora. Harvard: Harvard University Press, 2009) 136.
[11] Smallwood, 137
[12] Smallwood, 137
[13] Amanda, Warnock, and Toyin, Falola. Encyclopedia of the Middle Passage. (New York: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2010) 317
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