French Revolution

Submitted By supermanach
Words: 964
Pages: 4

Enslaved people had resisted the trade since it began. However French revolution introduced ideas of liberty and equality and abolishes slavery during the revolution shows support to the revolt slaves. It is possible that France wants the slaves to rebel the slave masters and become the pro France state is the rebel success. One of the examples is Toussaint l'Ouverture who fought against British and Spanish army for freedom in Saint-Domingue and took control over the island.
Cost to maintain slave increased as the tendency of revolt increased, more guards are to be installed or better treatments need to be done to the slaves. All measures add to the cost of running the plantation. Despite the money and effort plantation owners put in to control the slaves, revolt still happened. The rebellion in Cap Français 1791 left an estimated 10,000 blacks and 2,000 whites dead and more than 1,000 plantations sacked and razed. With this shocking news on slave rebellion, plantation owners finally realised the riskiness of running a plantation.
All three events linked with the economy interest. First lost America colonies losing tax income reduce trade profit and cause slave based plantation less profitable. Then New machines invented during industrial revolution produce manufacture product more effectively creates a new way of business, not only increased industrial profit but also make plantation economy less significant to the Britain economy. Lastly the slave revolt caused by French revolution further pushed plantation economy to an end. T. J. Dunning stated that “A certain 10 per cent will ensure its employment anywhere; 20 per cent certain will produce eagerness; 50 per cent positive audacity; 100 per cent will make it ready to trample on all human laws; 300 per cent and there is not a crime at which it will scruple, nor a risk it will not run, even to the chance of its owner being hanged. If turbulence and strife will bring a profit, it will freely encourage both. Smuggling and the slave-trade have amply proved all that is here stated” Voices of religious or ethical outrage were simply drowned out by the tumult of profitable trade in the past. Profitability of slave-based economy was too great which covered human morality, only when the profitability reduced to a certain low level, then morality of the majority start to appear. With the decline of profitability of plantation economy in eighteenth century, the majority of British finally realised the sin of slavery and abolish the slave trade.
It is certain that abolish a sunset industry which cannot be practices for long and move on to a more prospective industry is an act of economic calculated self-interest. Therefore to a large extent that abolition of the slave trade by Britain in 1807 was a calculated act of economic self-interest.

Bibliography
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