I think its fairly amazing the involvement Britain has had, as you've detailed, but also be aware that Cromwell was no saint and his conquering and slaughtering in Ireland led a great forced movement of people in the country itself as well as kickstarting masses of forced and indentured servitude to Barbados etc of native Irish. Yes they weren't slaves but lets not get too rosy-eyed when Ireland's experience of Britain is always there to reveal this dark side. Does it all come out in the wash? I don't know but the Irish experience of Britain is always there to provide some balance.
One thing that always seems to be overlooked in this equation is the sheer legislative power wielded by one specific group (wealthy protestant liberals).
If you look at the great social revolutionary pushes that took place in the 1830s, we find things like the Catholic Emancipation Act causing massive controversy, the numerous factory acts cutting hours for the working class population (though up until 1842 they were still sending six year old children to work down mines alongside pregnant women being worked until they miscarried) and similar movements directed ay emancipating the Jewish population as well. It seems to me that it is the demands of Capitalism and NOT racism that created this form of slavery. You counted for nothing unless you were a wealthy Protestant liberal.
I recently read "You Have Seen Their Faces" a photographic essay covering the plight of sharecroppers in the deep south during the 20s and 30s. White people who complained to their bosses about how they could not support their families on the little money they earned were fired from their places and black families (who could be beaten into compliance) took their place. This, in itself, created and sustained sever racial tensions among the communities there and empowered things like lynch mobs et al.
I think we all need to get together and see who/what the common enemy is here. Capitalism isnt colour blind, it screws everybody equally.
I think its fairly amazing the involvement Britain has had, as you've detailed, but also be aware that Cromwell was no saint and his conquering and slaughtering in Ireland led a great forced movement of people in the country itself as well as kickstarting masses of forced and indentured servitude to Barbados etc of native Irish. Yes they weren't slaves but lets not get too rosy-eyed when Ireland's experience of Britain is always there to reveal this dark side. Does it all come out in the wash? I don't know but the Irish experience of Britain is always there to provide some balance.
One thing that always seems to be overlooked in this equation is the sheer legislative power wielded by one specific group (wealthy protestant liberals).
If you look at the great social revolutionary pushes that took place in the 1830s, we find things like the Catholic Emancipation Act causing massive controversy, the numerous factory acts cutting hours for the working class population (though up until 1842 they were still sending six year old children to work down mines alongside pregnant women being worked until they miscarried) and similar movements directed ay emancipating the Jewish population as well. It seems to me that it is the demands of Capitalism and NOT racism that created this form of slavery. You counted for nothing unless you were a wealthy Protestant liberal.
I recently read "You Have Seen Their Faces" a photographic essay covering the plight of sharecroppers in the deep south during the 20s and 30s. White people who complained to their bosses about how they could not support their families on the little money they earned were fired from their places and black families (who could be beaten into compliance) took their place. This, in itself, created and sustained sever racial tensions among the communities there and empowered things like lynch mobs et al.
I think we all need to get together and see who/what the common enemy is here. Capitalism isnt colour blind, it screws everybody equally.