London's Independent asks: Should Britain be proud of its role in abolishing slavery?
HNN editor's note: This week marks 200 years since Parliament voted to abolish the transatlantic slave trade. Following is a portion of the Independent's"Big Question" column.
Read entire article at Independent
Should Britain be proud of its role in abolishing slavery?
Yes...
* Slave trading was a highly profitable business, abolished when Britain was embroiled in a war with France
* Abolitionists such as Wilberforce had nothing to gain from the campaign; most were motivated by religion
* Britain's example inspired abolitionists such as John Brown and Abraham Lincoln to end slavery in the US
No...
* Slave trading was a disgusting crime and its whole story is a stain on British history
* We continue to honour slave traders, among them Sir Francis Drake and the 'Grand Old' Duke of York
* Britain ended the trade, but allowed the practice of slave owning to continue in British colonies
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