"The government of Barbados is considering plans to make a wealthy Conservative MP the first individual to pay reparations for his ancestor’s pivotal role in slavery. The Drax family pioneered the plantation system in the 17th century and played a major role in the development of sugar and slavery across the Caribbean and the US." https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2...slave-richard-drax-caribbean-sugar-plantation I'm sick to death of being told I should be apologetic for 'our' history and the shame of slavery. This was perpetrated by a tiny minority of the wealthy upper class. These aren't vague figures from a long distant past, they're direct relatives from a couple of hundred years ago. Those like the Drax family built fortunes by exploiting poor people of various nations including Britain. Whether it was Africans working in Barbados, or local men toiling underground, they were just disposable commodities. In fact slaves were sometimes better cared for. There was a financial aspect whereby they could only replay their purchase cost by being fit and healthy enough to work. So they were well fed and given medical treatment, etc. It's about time those responsible for slavery were made to feel guilty and pay for their actions ... ... I'm not responsible, in any way, and don't feel ashamed in the slightest. I won't be apologising, I'll leave that to the likes of Mr Drax and his cronies.
I don't think the suggestion of reparations is helpful to anyone. The only obligation we have to the past is to learn from it in my opinion. Everyone who is so wealthy, exploited people in one way or another. It's laughable really that we're talking about reparations for crimes hundreds of years ago whilst in the same week: 1) We're watching a world cup in which modern slavery took place to facilitate it. 2) We go mental and over consume as huge corporations offer us even cheaper deals on Black Friday that is all available because of cheap/child labour. Sort out the wrongs that are happening right now. Pay people fair wages, get the tax laws right and build infrastructure to create a better society. Then maybe worry about what happened 200 years ago.
It's just multi-tasking tbf. No matter what l cause you mention you can always say there are always more important issues. If you're a direct descendant of someone taken from their family home into slavery you'd probably think it was a bit further up your list of priorities.
It's a complicated issue no doubt and I can understand why people directly descended might feel a bit more emotive about the subject. But what your great granddad did to my great grandad isn't the responsibility of either me or you in my opinion. Is slavery the only crime worth reparations? What about war damage? Colonisation and exploiting the land of other countries? Every working class/poor person on the planet could be due a payout from someone.
I agree with what you're saying about the reparation aspect. I'm more pleased that the responsibility and shame is being focused properly. I doubt the current Drax family are much different to those of a few generations back. I'm no more responsible for slavery than I am the Empire and have become weary of being told I am. I doubt the Drax family will allow having money prised away from them but a little public shaming would be nice.
Of course they'll be making sure all the descendants of the locals who helped run and facilitate the slave trade pay up too, right?
Well if reparations are the latest thing, let's start with us demanding them from Italy, (as Rome is no longer a State in itself). For keeping many of us in bonded labour and setting many others to slavery. Then the French, who invaded in 1066, again enslaved many and slaughtered many more. And the Danes! All that murdering, marauding, and yes.....slavery. What about the descendants of the Barbary Pirates, who carried of thousands of souls off and into slavery? Just off the top of my head mind. When we some of that back, it'll be time to give some out. Absurd isn't it?
Nothing to stop anyone asking for reparations. Although we, in our history, have fought with and invaded endless nations I don't remember Barbados doing the same. They're talking to members of the family who still have a plantation mansion there, who pioneered, developed and operated slavery ... ... the Barbary Pirates were random gangs made up of various nationalities. We occupied parts of France before 1066 and have been at war with them over centuries. There's a similarity but its pretty tenuous tbh.
Yep.. Whilst the like of Drax had slaves in the Caribbean... life 'down the pits' and on the farm was not much better here in the UK. I doubt many working class people benefited from slavery.
That's the point of my thread mate. I couldn't care less whether Barbados obtain restitution or not. I'm just tired of the entire UK population being blamed for slavery. It's a tiny percentage and that's where the spotlight should be directed.
You never hear of demands for reparations to countries who behaved just as badly, if not worse, do you? France, Spain (how much would they owe South America for the Inca gold and killing most of them through disease), Belgium. Basically all of Europe. The only ones who didn't do it didn't do it because they couldn't.
