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Jamaica Slavery Reparations
Should Britain pay compensation to Jamaica for it's role in the Atlantic slave trade?
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/29/jamaica-calls-britain-pay-billions-pounds-reparations-slavery
There's no doubt slavery helped fuel Britains economic might in the 18th and 19th century and the wealth created from slave labour on sugar plantations has trickled down to wealthy individuals in the public eye today:
The British governments position that reparations 'not the right approach' is somewhat absurd and patronising. It acknowledges culpability but refuse to engage with adequate remedy.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/29/jamaica-calls-britain-pay-billions-pounds-reparations-slavery
There's no doubt slavery helped fuel Britains economic might in the 18th and 19th century and the wealth created from slave labour on sugar plantations has trickled down to wealthy individuals in the public eye today:
Ahead of his trip, Sir Hilary Beckles, chair of the Caricom Reparations Commission, has led calls for Cameron to start talks on making amends for slavery and referenced the prime minister’s ancestral links to the trade in the 1700s through his cousin six times removed, General Sir James Duff.
......"You are a grandson of the Jamaican soil who has been privileged and enriched by your forebears’ sins of the enslavement of our ancestors ... You are, Sir, a prized product of this land and the bonanza benefits reaped by your family and inherited by you continue to bind us together like birds of a feather.
The British governments position that reparations 'not the right approach' is somewhat absurd and patronising. It acknowledges culpability but refuse to engage with adequate remedy.
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Comments
NO NO NO and did I say Noooooooo.
Who are they going to compensate because not all Jamaicans have ancestors that were slaves, what's the point of compensating now when the time to do so was almost two hundred years ago and frankly I find it incredulous that anyone alive today still cares about past history to the point of demanding compy and apologies.
I know I had relatives that were incarcerated and died at the hands of the nazis but I'm not going to lose sleep and self flagellation over something I cannot change.
I see Beckles is behind this latest rubbish, a guy who has never held a real job.
What about the blacks in Africa who sold their brethren to the white slavers?
If we apologised and compensated for every thing this nation has done we would be bankrupt and unable to move on.
The Romans would argue they paid reparations by laying the foundations of modern Britain and uniting disparate tribes into one people.
They'd also point out that tribal leaders in Britain allowed the slavery to take place.
and why is that any different to african slave trade ?
didn't the colonial powers lay the foundations for infrastructure in the countries the slaves were taken to ?
weren't african tribal leaders culpable for selling rival tribes to the slavers ?
why should current generations in the caribbean be paid reparations for things that happened to their great, great, great, great, great grandparents ?
As the likes of Camerons ancestors benefitted, then their ancestors could be asked to give up some wealth that they still benefit from, including royalty.
I thinks it's a strange, circular logic.
It's like a bank robber who's obtained great wealth on the back of his booty refusing to apologise or compensate his victims by arguing he would return to poverty
so who are these "victims" who are in need of compensation now ?
Jamaicans were forcibly removed from their country - they themselves weren't complicit and the country became a population of emancipated slaves.
The British ancestors of slavers today appear to be wealthy, the outcome of the huge benefits derived from slave money, but ancestors of slaves appear to be poor - without any real benefits from their grandparents being slaves.
Jamaicans
and what crimes were committed against them, bearing in mind none of them have actually been slaves or known anyone who was ?
Ok let me ask you this, can you trace your ancestors back to at least the period during which slavery happened, I can and I'd hazard a guess you can as well. Therefore it's likely your ancestors earned a living or profited indirectly in some way from the profits of slavery, most aristocratic family's were involved so it goes to reason anyone that worked for them or benefited by providing goods and services did so knowing their money was derived from slavery.
So do you agree we should all be held personally accountable and pay reparations?
Likewise in Africa, where some tribes were all too willing to sell their fellow man into slavery for a tidy profit whilst taking their lands.
You've heard of ambulance chasers, this is a different take on it...a sort of time team meets ambulance chasers.
exactly , i was actually thinking the same thing
this is basically injury lawyers for you writ large
Inherited wealth benefits those that inherit it. David Cameron is a lucky bugger because his ancestors gained wealth through slavery. It's reasonable to say if your ancestors were wealthy then theres a good chance you'll be wealthy.
If your ancestors were poor then there's a good chance you'll be poor. If you have the misfortune to have ancestors which were slaves, the opposite to Cameron's good fortune, then you are victim as well.
Might see some ads on daytime TV, "ancestors been a victim of the British empire? then call 0800..........we are Historical Ambulance Chasers.co.uk"
rubbish
playing the victim card 6-7 generations removed from the actual events is just looking for something for nothing
You should organise a protest march.
Perhaps Jamaicans also have a claim against African countries.
Attack the victim mentality. Yeah I punched you in the face,your request for an apology is just needy.
What rubbish, they've had 50 years of independence and self determination, now all they can do is blame their lot on events 200-250 years ago.