Why all the fuss about the abolition of slavery?

This year marks the 200th anniversary of passing of the act of parliament (in the UK) to abolish the slave trade. It is important to note that while this was done, those who were already slaves were not yet freed. This would happen many years later. But at least it was a step in the right direction and an admission, in a sense, that slavery was wrong.

It is also curious to note that the goverment of the day set aside £1Billion to compensate slave owners. However, none of the slaves themselves were compensated, ever. They thought to compensate owners for depriving them of property that they paid money for. Property. People as just property to be claimed against insurance for.

Is it any wonder that racism is still a problem in the world today with this mind set firmly ingrained in the european population for hundreds of year? I don't think 200 years has erased all of it.

In any case, I came across the lyrics of a song by The Mighty Sparrow, The Slave. This ladies and gentlemen is basically history in a song. It charts each stage of the slave's life, right up to finally being freed from slavery. It is a very sobering listen. Here it is:


The Slave
Performed by The Mighty Sparrow

I'm a slave from a land so far
I was caught and
I was brought here from Africa
I'm a slave from a land so far
I was caught and
I was brought here from Africa
Well it was licks like fire
From de white slavemaster
Everyday I dong on knees
Weeks and weeks before we cross de seas to reach in de West Indies

And den he make we wuk (den ah wuk)
And den ah wuk (he make meh wuk)
Good lord no pay
Ah toil
Ah toil, Ah toil
Ah toil so hard each day
I'm dying
Oh oh-oh...oh oh
I'm crying
Oh oh-oh...oh oh
Oh Lord I wanna be free

Many times ah wanted to run
But de (?) slavemaster standing dey wit de gun
Oh I know he go shoot to kill
So ah stay, stay and ah pray
But ah planning still
I study night and day how to break away
Ah got to make a brilliant escape
But everytime ah tink about de whip an' dem dogs
Meh body does start tuh shake

He make we wuk (den ah wuk)
Ah said ah wuk (he make meh wuk)
Oh lord no pay
Ah toil
Ah toil, Ah toil
Ah toil so hard each day
I'm dying
Oh oh-oh...oh oh
I'm crying
Oh oh-oh...oh oh
Oh Lord I wanna be free

La la la la la...

In my heart, there was much to say
Ah always hope de boss woulda listen to me some day
Although he knew (damn well knew) my request was very small
But de sting ah the whip there to answer me when ah call
We had to chant and sing to express ourselves
To dat wicked and cruel man
That was the only medicine to make he listen
And is so calypso began

He make we wuk (den ah wuk)
Ah said ah wuk (he make meh wuk)
Oh lord no pay
Ah toil
Ah toil, ah toil
Ah toil hard each day
I'm dying
Oh ooh-oh-oh...oh oh
I'm crying
Oh ooh-oh-oh...oh oh
Oh Lord I wanna be free

(La da da da dey....)

And den times change in so many, many many ways
Then one day somebody said "Free de bloody slaves"
I was then
Put out on the street
Ah ha' no clothes, ha' no food and no place to sleep
Worst of all
Had no education, no particular ambition
This I cannot conceal
Forgot my native culture
Ah lived like a vulture, from de white man ah had to steal

Because he make we wuk
Ah said ah wuk
Oh lord no pay
Ah toil
Ah toil
Ah toil, ah toil
Ah toil hard each day
I'm dying
Oh ooh-oh-oh...oh oh.....
I'm crying
Oh ooh-oh-oh...oh oh.....
Oh Lord I wanna be free