Tony Blair is sorry

So Tony Blair has said he feels "deep sorrow". Unfortuantely not for any of the many things he has done that you might think he would be sorry for, but for the fact that a few hundred years ago, Britain traded in slaves.

Now, this is not news. I knew that historically Britain was a slave trader when I was at school. Here in the West country, most of our main city (Bristol) was built on slavery - by wealthy traders and through the massive boost it gave to shipping. I also knew that slavery was common accross the world up until BRITAIN decided it was a bad thing to do and made it illegal (the French made a desultory attempt a few years earlier, but our government was the first to recognise the innate human rights of all peoples, and to state in law, that slavery was wrong). We should be congratulating ourselves on being the most liberal & forward thinking government of the time, not apologising for doing what pretty much every culture (including African ones) had done for the previous 5000 years minimum!

I do not think we, as a country have anything to apologise for. Nor do I think an apology from Tony Blair would have any impact. After all (to my knowledge) he did not own, sell or buy slaves, or support those that do. The people who could make the apology are all dead now! And they don't have any need to either. Should the Italian government apologise for the Roman Empire - they were invaders, slavers and genocidal during their time in power, but as an "oppressed Brit" I feel no need for an apology. Should the current German government apologise for Hitler? How do they have the ability to issue that apology? What would it mean to me? Absolutely nothing! I don't hear anyone calling for queenie to apologise to the british public for the generations of slavery and serfdom in the years before (and after) we discovered the African slave trade was more lucrative - and she (kind of) comes from the same family at least!

Considering slavery was made illegal in Britain in 1807 (some two generations before the USA managed it), there is no-one alive today that has any personal experience with slavery. It deserves to be consigned to the history books, along with many other unsavoury parts of our past. There we can learn about it, and from it, without continuing an anachronistic view of Africans and Carribbeans as part of something that no longer exists here.

Perhaps those that wish to spend their time worrying about slavery should spend their energy more wisely on the millions of people and children in slavery (serfdom/bonded labour/servitude call it what you will) today!