West Indian Slavery and British Abolition, 1783–1807

This book examines the political and economic motivations behind the final decision to abolish the British slave trade.

David Beck Ryden (Author)

9780521486590, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 19 January 2009

352 pages
23.4 x 16 x 2.7 cm, 0.6 kg

'… this book is a testament to Ryden's expertise in economic analysis and to his thorough archival research in the United Kingdom, the United States and Jamaica.' New West Indian Guide

This book challenges conventional wisdom regarding the political and economic motivations behind the final decision to abolish the British slave trade in 1807. Recent historians believe that this first blow against slavery was the result of social changes inside Britain and pay little attention to the important developments that took place inside the West Indian slave economy. David Beck Ryden's research illustrates that a faltering sugar economy after 1799 tipped the scales in favor of the abolitionist argument and helped secure the passage of abolition. Ryden examines the economic arguments against slavery and the slave trade that were employed in the writings of Britain's most important abolitionists. Using a wide range of economic and business data, this study deconstructs the assertions made by both abolitionists and antiabolitionists regarding slave management, the imperial economy, and abolition.

1. Producing a peculiar commodity
2. The Atlantic economy's political economic power
3. Jamaican planters and the London West India interest
4. The production and distribution of Jamaican muscovado
5. Duties, drawbacks, and the uncommitted mercantilists
6. The management of slaves in Jamaica
7. Abolition and colonial reform
8. Antiabolition and colonial rights: the defense of the slave trade
9. A business paradox: rising productivity and collapsing profitability
10. Rapid decline and abolition.

Subject Areas: Economic history [KCZ], Slavery & abolition of slavery [HBTS], Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL]