Empire 55. The Fall of the Royal African Company
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Jun 8, 2023 Explore the Royal African Company’s grim legacy and its monopoly over the slave trade. Discover the brutal realities of human trafficking and the stark economic implications for Britain. Unravel the intricate themes of slavery in 'Robinson Crusoe' against the backdrop of political tensions during the Glorious Revolution. Dive into the transition to a competitive slave market and the dehumanizing racial hierarchies that emerged. Finally, examine the dual role of faith and profit in the moral complexities of the slave trade.
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English Slaves
- William Pettigrew's book, Freedom's Debt, details the Royal African Company's abuses.
- It opens with enslaved Englishmen in a West African barrack, punished for trying to break the company's monopoly.
Inefficient Monopoly
- The Royal African Company, a royal monopoly, was inefficiently run by aristocrats.
- This inefficiency led to complaints from plantation owners about the insufficient supply of enslaved people.
Dehumanizing Symbolism
- The Royal African Company's coat of arms depicts enslaved Black men, symbolizing the dehumanization inherent in the slave trade.
- Despite this blatant display, no voices of dissent were raised against it at the time.
