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Should Britain apologise for its role in the slave trade?

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My own opinion is that we had nothing to do with it, and our government didn't take part in it, so why should we?

But, I'm an open book if you want to sway me to think otherwise.

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  1. Nothing to do with it? What fantasy world are you in? We had a major part, but maybe you haven't read about that because we stopped the slave trade first. The government DID take part in it. However it was such a long time ago I don't think we need to apologise as that has already happened and most are embarresed that it is part of our history. Read here (http://www.channel4.com/history/microsit... or type britain's slave trade into google for more info. It was a disgusting, horrible thing to do but we have apologised.


  2. Of course!!! If all else fails why not blame Britain? - The laughing stock of the world... The next thing will be - once we admit it again we will then have to pay the descendants!

    What about the Scandinavians??? - Have they apologised for sending over the Vikings?? Why dont we just open the gates and let everyone else in? - oh, silly me - we already have!

  3. no we shouldn't, we are made to feel like we should apologise for enough as it is!!!

  4. No!I cannot be held responsible for what my ancestors did!Would it be true to say!Some good did come out of it!For instance!Is the standard of living enjoyed by black people in the US is much better than their ancestors living in Africa!Would it be true to say also!How many Afro Americans want to return to Africa and enjoy the African's standard of living!Not many!!If any??

  5. Britain had a lot to do with the slave trade if you check your history but I do not think an apology is needed, how can you apologise for something other people did centuries ago

  6. no brittain shouldnt at all because its not brittain it certain individuals yeah it didnt happenin in my lifetime so why make us appologise for something we havent even experienced

  7. Is there anyone alive who was involved?  If you think it's okay to put the kids in jail because the parents commit a crime then your on solid ground with thinking an apology is necessary.

  8. Sure - if every other 'country' or government that took part in the slave trade also apologizes.

    That would include virtually every tribe in Africa, as well as all the nations of the Islamic world and the pre-Columbian native American cultures (at least those in Central and South America, and probably all over the American continents). So, too, would the countries of the Far East, with some exceptions.

    It has been reported (with substantial evidence) that slavery continues to exist in several countries to this day.

    In my view (and I assume this is codified somewhere in a sociology text), all societies go through development that can be described as 'maturation' (for lack of a better term). Slavery is one of the possible attributes of a young, immature society, or one that has regressed to an immature state as a result of some significant societal development. This is not meant in any way as a justification or rationalization of that despicable practice - I am simply trying to explain its existence. Slavery is a means by which a relatively small number of persons can increase the productivity of their land (or trade/industry, in some instances) at the expense of the freedom and well-being of many others.

    In any event, 'apologies' by a present-day national government accomplish little or nothing in the way of making amends for the past practice of slavery. I am not sure if anything can rationally and reasonably be done today to redress the wrongs of the past perpetrated in the practice of slavery. Nearly every present-day nation profited directly or indirectly from the practice, but who today is responsible for the sins of past centuries? The blame would simply go around the world in circles, with no one finally responsible.

  9. Many families in the UK became fabulously rich on the back of the slave trade and I do believe they should accept the unfairness of this awful trade in people with black skins.

  10. Britain did play a role in the slave trade, however the entire story of slave trading (with respect to the US) rarely include the fact that in many cases the would be slaves were collected by their own countrymen and sold to the traders. My answer would be no one should apologize any more than already has been done. Continuing to bow to claims of Miss-justice by our forefathers no  longer makes any sense, if it did the US should begin withdrawing itself from lands that originally belonged to the Indian of North America.

  11. No it's in the past, we had nothing to do with it. We may as well apologise for things we did as cavemen.

  12. The UK did have a prominent role in the slave trade, but we shouldn't apologise, because it's done, it's in the past and no one who is alive today took part in the slave trade 200+ years ago.

  13. No, the only people who should apologize are the ones who actually bought and sold slaves to America over 200 years ago.

    Wait, I think that they are all dead now, but if you really want to push the issue we need to make Africa apologize too as several tribes sold other tribes into the slavery to begin with.

  14. Britain was responsible for the slave trade & many other awful things that everyone seems to forget about. The U.S is hated when all we do is try to help the world, not control it like Germany, France & Britain. I dont know if they should apologize, its a little too late for that, but they should at least except responsibility.

  15. even tho we did participate and benefit in the slave trade..

    i do not believe we should apologize because the UK takes it upon itself to bend over backwards to allow foreginers into country and to make sure nothing that could be portrayed as racist ever happen!

    its rediculous

    is this our punishment for being part of the slave trade? having to think about every syllable that comes out of your mouth so as not to offend

    its pathetic

    btw im not against foreginers or anything im just against this political correctness

  16. History makes its own apologies, all we must do is learn from it!

  17. Which slave trade?  There were many and are many.  Or do you deny that women and children are still sold into bondage and prostitution in this day and age.

  18. We have done

  19. what slave trade the black or the white slave trade

  20. I think something should be said but we cannot say sorry for what others did we are not to blame, as the bible says the sins of the father should not be visited upon the son.

    Yes it was appauling what happened but what is done cannot be undone.

    Acknowledging what happened is a start and how wrong it was but that is all that can be done now.

    Where will it end?

    Do we go right back in time and start apologising to the people from the bronzw age for the terrible living conditions they had to endure or even further for one stone age tribe killing another.

    That is my personal veiw

  21. No, the people who were involved are long dead. It has nothing to do with the current generation of British people.  Those who were enslaved are long dead too so who are we supposed to be "apologising" to?

    Are the Africans going to have to apologise because their ancestors sold other Africans into slavery?

    Its history.  People need to get over it and move on.

    LOL @ the above naive, ill-infomed poster.  Who exactly do you think BOUGHT most of the slaves? The USA!  And what about your extermination of the Native Americans? Forgotten that eh?

  22. Only the one's that participated. For anyone else it is ridiculous as h**l.

  23. we had no impact on what happened hundreds of years ago.should the british apologise for he 80000 white irish slaves?or the hundreds of thousands white british slaves transported to the colonies?or should the german and french celtic tribes apologise for enslaving my ancestors in scotland and the north of england?should the americans aplogise for enslaving and slaughtering millions of indians?shold the arabs apologise for enslaving 3 million black africans to the portuguese?should the black africans apologis for enslaving millions of their own kind?a practice that still goes on to day?

    why do the black africans think and blame the white europeans for the slave trade .who do they think sold the slaves to the europeans.

    every counry and race throghot history have slaughtered and enslaved civilisations they have conquered.so stop blaming races and cultures particulaly the white countries as this amounts to blatant ignorant racism.none of us living now had any baring on what happened in the past.move on accept we are all equal and luk to the future,harmony and acceptance.

    rich

  24. yes and now they are paying the price

  25. If Britain had to apologise for all the times through the ages that it had it's fingers in dodgy pies Gordon Brown may as well get 'SORRY' tattooed on his forehead.

  26. Any one that was involved in the slave trade should apologize.  However, since I imagine they are all dead, find another cause to concern yourself.

    fs

  27. dude,apologize to whom...this is all political correctness gone mad !should the romans apologize for conquering europe ,should the muslims apologize for pillaging and killing half of europe......get the drift ! by the way,our Brit brothers better wake up or the muslims will take over.

  28. Your opinion is wrong, then. Britain DID take part in slavery and there WERE slaves in Britain. Slavery was outlawed in 1833 by Parliament. Here's a link you should read. I would have thought that your schools would have taught this fact. In fact, if you've ever heard the hymn "Amazing Grace," It was written by an English captain who happened to be a slave trader. That's why he referred to himself as a "wretch." He and the song became an important tool to abolish slavery in Britain. Further, even after Britain outlawed slavery, many, many Brits participated in the slaver trade, capturing and transporting slaves to countries other than those in the UK.

    I don't think I need to work to sway you; the facts should be able to do that unless you refuse to recognize facts.

    http://www.enotes.com/history-fact-finde...

    Gee, Billy V, if he means those of you alive today, then why did he say the idiotic statement that "Britain didn't take part in slavery" when, in fact, they did?

    I forgot to mention that even though Britain DID take part in slavery and the slave trade, I don't think anyone, including the US, should apologize for it let alone offer reparations. As many said here, it's in the past and they need to get over it or, at least, do something constructive about the slavery that still goes on today and work to abolish it, if these people really want to do something about slavery and not receive money or apologies they don't deserve.

  29. no becos black people started the slave trade

  30. no anyone still going on about the slave trade need to get over it!

  31. I completely agree with you.

    We can't keep apologising for things that had nothing to do with anyone that lives in the UK today.

    It's not our fault, we didn't make those decisions.

    We should not apologise, but instead make sure that things like that can never happen again.

    EDIT  - TO ALL THE SIMPLETONS ON HERE..... HE MEANS THAT WE (PEOPLE LIVING HERE NOWADAYS, DIDNT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT) Of course we all know that Britain was involved hundreds of years ago,but none of us living here NOWADAYS decided it.
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