Dear Editor,
The pro-reparation lobbyists have failed to create a convincing argument and it is unlikely that they will be taken seriously internationally.
Their main argument is that chattel slavery, which was practised in the Caribbean, was exploitative and dehumanising, therefore it cannot be compared to slave systems in ancient Rome and Greece. However, slavery in ancient Rome and Greece was multifaceted. In ancient Rome, highly educated slaves existed who were treated with dignity, and a good cook was greatly respected. This is a bit similar to the slave system which existed in our hemisphere, since a house slave had a more amicable relationship with his master than a field slave. Furthermore, under Roman law slaves were considered property, they were subjected to vicious forms of sexual and physical abuse depending on their status and were seen as chattel.
Like slaves in the Caribbean, they were able to purchase their freedom and file complaints against their masters, but it was still quite brutal with varying degrees of hostility. So the view that slaves systems in the ancient world cannot be compared to the institution of slavery in the Caribbean is a myth.
Additionally, these lobbyists have failed to analyse the factors which created the conduit for the slave trade. West African states, like Angola, were not united, so it was very easy for the Portuguese to exploit ethnic and political tensions. For example, Queen Nzinga Nbandi was never in favour of the slave trade, but she was undermined by unscrupulous Africans, who formed commercial links with the Portuguese, the Europeans also had superior technology and African weaponry was not on par.
Throughout history, complex societies have seen the need to enslave weaker states, this is just human nature. There is also the belief that the slave trade depleted Africa's labour force, thereby retarding its development, this is nonsense.
In the 90s, Austria and Estonia were in a deplorable condition, but today economists speak about the Austrian and Estonian miracles, leadership makes a difference. People like Idi Amin have played a great role in undermining Africa's progress. According to Tim Worstall, in a recent article about reparations, "the whole idea seems so absurd once you pursue the logic of it that it's probably better to forget the whole matter, isn't it?"
We should focus on creating wealth for our people through productivity and innovation not frivolous matters like reparations.
Lipton Matthews
lo_matthews@yahoo.com
Reparations debate lost in logic
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