In this episode of The Winston Marshall Show, I sit down with moral philosopher and theologian Lord Nigel Biggar for a rigorous conversation on slavery, reparations, British history, and the moral limits of historical guilt.
We examine growing demands for reparations from Britain, including calls from CARICOM, the African Union, and the Church of England, and ask whether modern Britons can justly be held responsible for crimes committed centuries ago. Biggar explains why slavery was a universal historical practice, why Britain was among the first nations to abolish it, and how the anti slavery movement became one of the first mass human rights campaigns in history.
The discussion explores the Atlantic slave trade, African and Arab slavery, Britain’s role in abolition, the West Africa Squadron, and the immense financial and human cost Britain paid to suppress slavery worldwide. We also debate whether present day inequalities can be causally traced to historic slavery, and whether reparations clarify or distort moral responsibility.
We turn to faith, history, and national memory, examining how Britain should teach slavery, abolition, and empire, and whether movements like reparations and Black History Month promote reconciliation or deepen division.
A serious and searching conversation about history, justice, responsibility, and how nations should reckon with the past without surrendering to permanent guilt.
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Chapters
00:00 Introduction
02:08 Britain's Involvement in the Atlantic Slave Trade
07:35 Comparative Slavery and Historical Context
11:33 Media Bias and Reparations
15:37 British State's Involvement and Church of England's Reparations
20:52 The Abolition Movement and British Anti-Slavery Efforts
30:04 The West Africa Squadron and British Anti-Slavery Expenses
33:44 Historical Context and Modern Implications
43:11 Reparations and Historical Responsibility
52:22 Final Thoughts
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