Earlier Slave Trade Act ?

This is actually an idea which I've left off putting on paper for the last couple yrs, but was inspired by the AMAZING GRACE film- in the film, the Slave Trade Act is finally facilitated thru parliament by 1807 after the suggestion of Wilberforce's lawyer colleague, James Stephen, to introduce such a bill against slavery as a wartime measure. Now, WI this idea had eventuated and been implemented earlier ?
 
The problem is that Industrialization has to come along to offer a valid alternative first. The Industrial Revolution had to be well-established in a nation in a position to do something about the Slave Trade first, and that frankly isn't going to happen unless Hero's Steam Engine happens. The growth of the Monstrosity after the New World contacts was hard to put a break on prior to that.
 
revolutionary France had abolished slavery in 1794.
If Britain abolishes Slavery in the immediate years after France [Can't let the Frogs get a Moral Jump Ole Boy] Whe may have Britain with a different position about Haiti.
 
The problem is that Industrialization has to come along to offer a valid alternative first. The Industrial Revolution had to be well-established in a nation in a position to do something about the Slave Trade first, and that frankly isn't going to happen unless Hero's Steam Engine happens. The growth of the Monstrosity after the New World contacts was hard to put a break on prior to that.

While that's probably true in general terms, there is no big difference between passing the Act in 1807 and doing so in 1797 or, indeed, 1777, which is the range we are talking about, I think.
 
I wonder if the movie mentions that revolutionary France had abolished slavery in 1794.

No, nor does it mention that Imperial France reimposed slavery in 1802 (I may be wrong, but I believe this is the only case of a western country formally reintroducing slavery after it was abolished). Slavery wasn't finally abolished in French territories until 1848, 15 years after Britain abolished it in the Empire - it had been abolished (to be precise, the illegality of it was confirmed) in Britain proper in 1772 after the verdict in the Somersett case.
 

Hendryk

Banned
No, nor does it mention that Imperial France reimposed slavery in 1802 (I may be wrong, but I believe this is the only case of a western country formally reintroducing slavery after it was abolished).
Indeed. Kind of a Proposition 8 situation, wasn't it?
 
This is actually an idea which I've left off putting on paper for the last couple yrs, but was inspired by the AMAZING GRACE film- in the film, the Slave Trade Act is finally facilitated thru parliament by 1807 after the suggestion of Wilberforce's lawyer colleague, James Stephen, to introduce such a bill against slavery as a wartime measure. Now, WI this idea had eventuated and been implemented earlier ?

If Britain abolishes Slavery in the immediate years after France [Can't let the Frogs get a Moral Jump Ole Boy] Whe may have Britain with a different position about Haiti.

But them clever humanitarian Danes were first out of the gate in 1792! (even if it didn't take effect until 1802)
 

yourworstnightmare

Banned
Donor
Well, both Britain and France abolished slavery early, yet slavery existed in both the French and the British Empire as late as the 1930s.
 
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