On August 1, 1985 Emancipation Day was declared a public holiday to commemorate the abolition of slavery in T&T. Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis all recognise the day.
Emancipate means to free from bondage, oppression, restraint, to liberate.
Why were slaves negro and not Chinese? Economics not race. Cost not colour. The negro labour was cheaper. When compared to other labour, negro was vastly superior.
The fittest survived. Climate had no effect on slavery. The African slave was robust.
The reason for slavery was economics.
Why was slavery wrong?
�2 Slavery exploited and degraded human beings;
�2 Slavery violated human rights;
�2 Slavery used force on other human beings;
�2 Slavery left a legacy of discrimination.
Slavery stifled Caribbean economic growth, but nurtured global commodity circulation. Slave profits financed the railways.
Why did slavery end?
Industrialisation made slavery more expensive, ie the all-important cost factor.
Slavery was not compatible with emerging industries.
Slavery ended because it was under attack by world opinion. There was a growing moral outrage at slavery. It became immoral to employ slaves.
Slavery did not end with the abolition in the 19th century. The practice still exists today, check certain supermarkets.
One is still in slavery if one is "owned" or controlled by an employer through abuse or threat of abuse.
Underground slavery still exists. Women are kidnapped or told lies to emigrate and end up being prostituted out until their travel costs are covered.
The new names developed for slavery are multitasking and cross-crafting. Overtime is over work.
The way to end poverty is through education and so slavery will also end.
The physical chains may have been removed but we are still shackled and restricted.
As they say, let us emancipate ourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds.
AV Rampersad,
Princes Town