Intelligence Squared The Sunday Debate: Should the West pay Reparations for Slavery?
Oct 24, 2021
Kehinde Andrews, a Black Studies professor, argues passionately for reparations, highlighting the need for historical acknowledgment and healing. Esther Stanford-Xosei, a reparations activist, supports this view, emphasizing collective responsibility. On the opposing side, Katharine Birbalsingh warns that reparations might exacerbate social tensions, advocating for empowerment instead. Tony Sewell reinforces self-reliance, drawing lessons from Ethiopia's success. The discussion navigates complex moral, historical, and social implications, leaving listeners to ponder the future of reparative justice.
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Reparations to Slave Owners
- Kehinde Andrews highlighted the UK's 2015 repayment of a loan taken out in 1833 to compensate slave owners.
- This payment, he argued, demonstrates a precedent for reparations, but to the wrong recipients.
Slavery's Impact on Western Wealth
- The West's wealth, according to Kehinde Andrews, is directly tied to slavery.
- Cities like London, Liverpool, and Bristol wouldn't exist in their current form without it.
Lloyd's of London and Slavery
- Kehinde Andrews cited Lloyd's of London as an example of enduring legacy of slavery.
- Its roots in insuring slave voyages and advertising runaway slaves highlight how ingrained slavery was in the financial system.
