Slavery, Atlantic trade and skills_ a response to Mokyr

paper source: https://doi.org/10.5871/jba/009.259

Slavery, Atlantic trade and skills: a response to Mokyr’s ‘Holy Land of Industrialism’

Slavery and the Atlantic trade played a critical role in shaping the skills and economic structures that contributed to the Industrial Revolution in Britain.

📎 Executive Summary

The paper critiques and expands upon Mokyr’s notion of the Industrial Revolution, particularly focusing on the role of slavery and the Atlantic trade in shaping industrial skills and economic structures. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of these historical elements and their impact on Britain’s development. Industrial advancements were closely linked to the market and raw materials supply revolution centered on Atlantic trade, which was underpinned by plantation slavery.

❗ Conclusion

Recognition of slavery and the Atlantic trade’s critical contributions to the Industrial Revolution. It challenges traditional narratives that downplay these factors and underscores their importance in understanding economic history.

👁️ Key Findings

• Interconnectedness of Factors: The paper highlights how slavery and trade have significantly influenced industrial skills and economic growth.
• Importance of Skills: Lessons learned show that skills acquired in the context of slavery and colonial trade were pivotal during the Industrial Revolution.
• Surprising Insights: The integral role of the Atlantic Slave Trade in advancing Britain’s industrial capabilities is emphasized, countering common assumptions.

✅ Similarities

• Aligns with Morgan, K.’s works that discuss the impact of slavery on Britain’s economy.
• Shares themes with Olmstead, A.L. & Rhode, P.W. concerning the relationship between slavery and capitalism.

⚔️ Differences

• Contrasts with Mokyr’s original thesis by providing a more nuanced understanding of skill acquisition in an industrial context.
• Challenges simpler narratives that separate industrial growth from colonial and slave-based economic activities.

📖 Content

1: The Role of Slavery in Skills Development

• Examines how the experiences of workers in slave-dependent economies cultivated specific skills necessary for industrial practices in Britain.
• Discusses how these skills were not just general but rather adapted to particular contexts of Atlantic markets, catering to diverse tastes and needs.
• Highlights the significance of flexible and adaptive skills developed through the interactions with African, Caribbean, North American, and Latin American markets.
• Introduces the concept that the need for product and process innovation arose from the demands of these markets, leading to the establishment of manufacturing businesses that aligned with market trends.

2: Atlantic Trade and Economic Structures

• Analyzes how the dynamics of the Atlantic trade influenced economic structures in Britain, particularly in the growth of urban centers like Liverpool and its role as a trade hub.
• Explores the relationship between the collapse of rural industries in counties such as Hertfordshire and Northamptonshire and the subsequent rise in agricultural employment.
• Discusses the importance of the Legacies of British Slave Ownership database in understanding the historical economic contexts created by the slave trade and its profitability.
• Emphasizes how the income generated by the Atlantic trade contributed to a consumer revolution in Britain, thereby stimulating broader economic growth.

3: Responses to Mokyr’s Thesis

• Critiques Mokyr’s diminutive stance on the role of slavery and Atlantic trade in the context of British industrialization, arguing that his generalized approach overlooks critical historical details.
• Discusses the chronological unfolding of British dominance in the Atlantic trade and the specific ways it shaped economic and social transformations within Britain.
• Presents counterarguments to Mokyr’s claims by providing evidence and examples of how Britain’s industrialization was directly tied to its slave-based economic interactions.

4: Implications for Future Research

• Suggests further research is necessary to explore the intersections between slavery, trade, and the emergence of banking and financial services in Britain.
• Encourages a reevaluation of existing narratives regarding British economic growth that often sideline the contributions of the Caribbean trade.
• Proposes that understanding these interconnections can lead to a more comprehensive view of British industrialization and its global implications.

5: Case Studies of Regional Impact

• Presents specific case studies illustrating the direct impact of Atlantic trade and slavery on local economies in England, focusing on regions heavily engaged in industrialization.
• Discusses how the skills developed in these regions were tailored to meet the demands of both domestic and global markets, facilitating innovative manufacturing practices.
• Highlights the role of urban centers as catalysts for industrial growth and the concentration of skilled labor due to the Atlantic trade’s influence on population mobility.

6: Conclusion: Reassessing Historical Narratives

• Concludes with a call to reassess historical narratives surrounding the Industrial Revolution by incorporating the critical roles played by slavery and the Atlantic trade.
• Stresses the necessity of recognizing these factors in understanding the broader context of economic development, social change, and the overall trajectory of modern Britain.