The Influence of Slave Trade on the Economic Growth of the British Empire - Essay Example

Slave Trade and the Economic Growth of Britain Inserts His/Her Inserts Grade Inserts inserts date British Empire 1600-1919: Why the slave trade help make them an economic power during the mid 1700s to 1818. Introduction: Economic growth of a country has a predominant influence in its overall development. The growth of Great Britain as an Economic power has always been subjected to serious discussions overtime. While turning over the pages of history, one can perceive various factors which played decisive roles in constructing Britain Economically sound and slave trade is one among them. Regarding the Economic growth of British Empire, one can infer that the use of slaves and the slave trade itself made the British Empire an economic power in Europe, during the periods, 1700s to 1818. To have a clear picture of this, it would be better to go through the pages of history. The European colonization of United States started in the 15th century. A Spanish navigator, colonizer, explorer, namely Christopher Columbus, was the first person who reached the region of America by his journey to India. His discovery of the New World accelerated the European colonization considerably. Followed by Columbus other explorers like John Cabot of England, Portugal navigator Pedros Alvares Cabrel and Amerigo Vespucci of Portugal also started their exploration and they discovered Newfoundland, Brazil, and America respectively. Many European nations especially, Spain, France, England and Holland promoted colonization with the intention of enhancing their economy, power, and influence. Spanish and Portuguese were the first colonizers in America. Primarily, Spain conquered the kingdom of Aztec and Inca dynasties and took control on Central America, Western South America, and Mexico regions. At the same time Portugal occupied the major parts of South America. Later England, France and Dutch Republic succeeded in establishing their colonies in America. France mainly concentrated on establishing colonies in North American region after the Spanish and Portuguese successful colonization. They founded colonies such as Port Royal, Quebec, and New France in North America but they lost their grip because of the series of war against Britain. England was the most successful settler of America and they established their colonies throughout America under a structure of ‘Independent Proprietary Governors’. The Caribbean region generally considered as more significant and profitable colonies of the England. After the failure of several attempts, England successfully colonized the regions called St.Kitts, Barbados and Nevis respectively. These colonies adapted the sugar plantation method from the Portuguese who practically used in Brazil with the exploitation of slave labor. This trade helped the development of British economy as well as European economy. Later England captured the island of Jamaica from the Spain and Bahamas. England captured the Dutch colony of New Netherland and renamed it as Province of New York, and New Sweden. James town was the first successful colony of Great Britain. A joint stock company called, ‘London Virginia Company’ was financed and coordinated this colony for seeking gold. In the very first year they struggled a lot with diseases, starvation and war with indigenous people but they survived later by turning to tobacco as a cash reap. In the very first year the company did not have enough labor force. The arrival of Europeans into America had carried several epidemics which lessened the population of the indigenous people. The higher demand of labor force caused the Europeans to bring the black slaves from Africa and Caribbean regions to European colonies. England played a very vital role in the transatlantic slave trade and it was lasted till 19th century. Most of the slaves were transported from west and central Africa to north and South America to work as nonpaid labor in sugar, tobacco plantations, in the field of mine, and house hold works. Richard B. Sheridan (1994) acknowledges the report of Byran Edwards while discussing the number of slaves in Britain during the 17th and 18th centuries. According to him, “2,130,000 Negro slaves were imported ‘into all the British colonies of America and the West Indies’ from 1680 to 1786.” He adds that it accounted for nearly 460,000 slave population in the thirteen colonies and 420,000 the Caribbean colonies in 1770 respectively (P.248). The Royal African Company got the monopoly of the trade to provide the slaves to the British colonies of the Caribbean region. Britain transported millions of African slaves to the America and across the Atlantic region. The population of black people rose dramatically by the British colonization period in Caribbean region and the America. The formation of Triangular Trade between Africa and Americas, the Slave trade became profitable and economic core of the several cities like Liverpool and Bristol. There are many reasons behind the European colonization. The main purposes of European colonization of the America are spreading Christianity across the United States, desire for wealth, power and resources and so on. Many European people believed that they are responsible for spreading Christianity. There were many Christian missionaries who came to the America to convert indigenous people. The puritans came to the America to reform the Church of England and they established the Massachusetts colony. The puritans developed a religious, socially and politically rooted, innovative culture in United States. European colonization could create ripples on the lifestyle of natives of America. These Native Americans lost their world, food, people, self competence with the appearance of Europeans especially British and Spanish settlers. Europeans felt that the indigenous people were a prehistoric race and did not consider them as equal beings. The Native Americans were treated very badly during Spanish colonization. They were used for doing heavy work in the field and mines and even the church also behaved them very badly. The catholic missionaries treated the indigenous people very badly and tried to convert their religions and traditions. The arrival of the Europeans into America resulted in the breaking out of epidemics among the indigenous people. The epidemics such as small pox, typhus, influenza, diphtheria and measles killed between 10 million and 20 million indigenous people that almost 95% of indigenous populations of America. Apart from the diseases, the hectic work schedule also increased the death rate of Native Americans. This high volume of death rate caused for the lack of labor in the field of mine and agricultural field. For these reasons colonizers especially Spanish and Portuguese imported millions of slaves from Africa to America to solve the shortage of workers in the fields. This slave trade started in the 1500 and lasted till late 1800’s. Eric Williams, former prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, the author of capitalism and slavery argued that Black Slavery was the prime key factor which accelerated the Europe’s rice to universal economic supremacy. Slave trade affected European economy especially British Economy in many different ways. The British cotton mills which resulted in to the symbol of industrial revolution, relied on cheap slavers to generate high volume of cotton from the American regions. British citizens also got benefit from the other economical and abundant slaved-produced commodities such as sugar. The income earned from the slave trade provided the British financial system an additional source of capital. Economy of America and Africa are mainly depended on slave trade which became important export business for British producers. A few British persons, industries and ports thrived on the basis of this important trade. Slaves, especially black slaves were mainly used for agricultural purposes in the New World. Primarily they used in Brazil and gradually extended to the Caribbean region and the southern part of the North America. Europeans used the slaves for agricultural operations such as set up the plantations for producing sugar and cottons. Later they became the backbone of the labor force as well as the European economy. The long duration of economic exploitation of black slaves created a big impact on the colonization history. Significantly, it generated the social gap between white and black communities which still haunting within the American and European communities. Slave trade is the prime reason for British industrialization which contributed the economy in different ways such as the advance of agriculture, the progress of technology, the strength of political institutions, the local accessibility resources such as coal, and a culture. Eric Williams (2007) observes, “Britain was accumulating great wealth from the triangular trade” (p.98). Banking, insurance and heavy industry boomed up on the basis of triangular trade. The profit from the triangular trade nourished the entire industry system of the Britain. There are plenty of instances strengthened the advantages of triangular trade. For instance the slate industry in Wales, which provided material for roofing, was revolutionized by the new methods adopted on his Carnavonshire estate by Lord Penrhyn, owned sugar plantation in Jamaica (Williams, 2007 P.98). The first great railway project which connected Liverpool and Manchester is another contribution of triangular trade. Enhanced method of coal mining resulted in a grand development of iron industry which increased the production and the rose of furnaces. The iron bridge and iron rail road are the other major result of the triangular trade.’ cotton’ the queen of the industrial revolution created a huge impact on the European market and which baffled the wool industry. Between 1700 and 1780 imports of raw cotton increased more than three times, exports of cotton goods fifteen times (Williams, 2007, P.105). The population of Manchester and the cotton industries were increased dramatically in the end of 18th century. Except heavy industry, cotton industry also dominated the part of British economy. Conclusion: By summing up one can easily identify that there are several advantages contribute the development of European economy especially British economy. At the beginning of 19th century Britain became the most dominated economic power in the world and they captured and colonized the major part of the globe. Triangular trade is the main reason for expansion of colonization in the other part of the world. Cotton industry became the backbone of British industry between 1760 and 1801 which nourished by Triangular trade. Here one can also notice that the period of slave trade can be considered as the golden era of British economy as well as the growth of European economy. They exploited each and every corner of the trade and used for the development of nation’s infrastructure such as iron bridges and rail road. Colonization caused several changes in West Indian region that existed until slave trade ended in America. Colonization created a social gap between the white and the black communities and it mounted up the racial discrimination between them. This analysis about the British Empire revealed slave trade and its impact in European as well as British economy. These factors lead the researcher to the conclusion that the use of slaves and the slave trade itself made the British Empire an economic power in Europe, during the periods, 1700s to 1818. Works cited: Sheridan, B. Richard (1994) Sugar and slavery: an economic history of the British West Indies, 1623-1775, Canoe Press, Pp. 248 Williams, Eric (2007) capitalism and slavery, Read Books Pp. 98, 105 Read More