Gott omits working class opposition to the slave trade
In an otherwise useful piece in the Guardian on 17 January on the cant around the forthcoming bicentenary of slave trade abolition, Chavez-loving journalist Richard Gott manages to miss a key point – popular agitation.
He rightly points out the role of slave rebellion in the abolition of the slave trade in 1807 – especially the revolt in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti). However there is no mention of the role of workers in the popular agitation of the time.
In his book, Bury the Chains (2005), Adam Hochschild describes the role of mass action. In 1788, parliament received over 100 petitions for abolition, signed by up to 100,000 people. In 179, 500 petitions were sent. He says that “at least two dozen of the petitions had their start at public meetings against the slave trade, and one at Leeds explicitly invited signatures from ‘the rough sons of lowest labour’.”
Hochschild describes a public meeting in Sheffield in 1794: “In a striking show of solidarity across racial lines, thousands of metal workers attending the meeting unanimously endorsed freedom for the slaves, to ‘avenge peacefully ages of wrongs done to our Negro brethren’.”
He says that the chair of the meeting, Henry Redhead Yorke wrote at the time, “Let the African, the Asiatic, the European, burst asunder their chains, and raise a pious war against tyranny. Should tyrants refuse to expiate their crimes… let the PEOPLE roll on them in a tempest of fury, and compel them to expire in agonies.”
There was also some attempt at a boycott of sugar from Caribbean, with sugar from India preferred instead.
Although much of this agitation died down as a result of government repression – it took place at the time of the French Revolution and included, for example, the Combination Laws against trade unions. However there were more rallies and petitions in the run up to abolition in 1807.
We should use the bicentenary as an opportunity to publicise the role of workers in the struggle against slavery – and draw the lessons for working class unity in the present fight against racism.
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Thomas Clarkson.
I am glad that Paul Hampton cites the impressive figure of Thomas Clarkson, to re-balance the somewhat one-sided account of the abolition of slavery that Gott offers.
Thomas Clarkson is something of a local hero where I live, in Ipswich: he came from nearby and is buried in a village a couple of miles away, Playford.
Doing research for Ipswich Museum at the County ARchives I discovered evidence of Clarkson's early activities which Hochshild does not cover (though his book is thorough and inspiring). Clarkson attended debates in the French National Assembly during the early years of the Revolution and sent, verbatim, reports which were published in the weekly Ipswich Journal (1790 - to around 1793) activities of the Societie des amis de noirs and the attempts to abolish slavery in the French colonies - and information on slave revolts and oppression by slave-holders. Some of the first anti-slavery campaigns were launched in this area, and struck deep roots in the radical working class as well as the more widely known Christian philanthropists. Hochshild is careful to balance the influence all this had with references to resistance from those in bondage themselves, and, intrestingly, mentions the presence of black people at some of Clarkson's meetings.
Clarkson is a figure rescued from the enormous condensation of History by Hochshild - closely associated with the radical American magazine Mother Jones (and apparently something of a hate-figure for wind-bag Michel Moore). His actions and principles form an essential core of egalitarian radicalism, the early modern left.
Wilberforce has not overshadowed Clarkson everywhere: Clarkson street in Ipswich is larger, longer, and more impressive than Wilberforce Street (both 19th century names). This year Ipswich Museum is putting an exhibition on the Abolition of Slavery, and Clarkson will take his honoured place as one of the greatest friends of freedom this country this country has ever had.
Correction.
I noticed that I wrote condensation instead of condescention. I know Ipswich is pretty damp and wet, but..
Btw: Ipswich Museum web address can be got at: http://www.ispwich.gov.uk/Museums
It's not brilliant.
More on Clarkson
I'm grateful to Andrew for expanding on Clarkson's role - it would be very useful to post more on him and other abolitionists who organised mass campaigning in the run up to 25 March.
Comrades should also look at Peter Fryer's excellent book, Staying Power: The History of Black People in Britain, which describes this campaign and much, much more.