The Transformation of Europe's Attitude towards Slavery

James Walven explains how attitudes towards slavery changed dramatically from the late eighteenth century to the late nineteenth century. In the past, major powers and colonies engaged in the slave trade for profit, but a century later, they had abolished slavery and strongly opposed it. This shift was not only reflected in political and diplomatic circles, but also captured the attention of the general public. The once confident slave owners and traders were now gone, and defending slavery publicly was seen as eccentric.