Sowell says: "...more European slaves brought to North Africa than there were African slaves brought to America..." I just do not think that is true unless he means only our country, in which case he's comparing one country versus an entire region. Citing both books he mentions, it is estimated there were approximately 1 million European slaves in North Africa. By comparison, it is estimated that there were approximately 12 million slaves from Africa in Europe and the Americas. I don't think there is any way it can be argued that there were more European slaves than African.
Westy, I applaud your resourcefulness. I, too, saw that apparent discrepancy. But Sowell, as you allude to, is comparing "North Africa" and "America", not North Africa and North America.
>>in which case he's comparing one country versus an entire region.<<
Not exactly, because he is comparing the slave-holding States in the U.S. to the Barbary States of the Ottoman Empire.
If you want to compare the 12 million Africans enslaved by European and Americans in a reasonable manner, which most people do not want to do, consider the entire history of Muslim nations' practice of slavery, from Arab nations to Persia to Turkey, etc. Consider the practices of the Aztecs, whose demise was only achieved by Cortes with help from other tribes who were frequently enslaved and sacrificed.
The reality is that almost every culture used slaves, and that Christianity fueled the first effective abolition of slavery, in part due to the U.S. and British naval superiority over pirate slave masters.
And it should be added, it is likely the Barbary states had even more African slaves than European ones. Although pockets of slavery continue to exist in the world, I am thankful that it has been substantially wiped out.
3 comments:
Sowell says: "...more European slaves brought to North Africa than there were African slaves brought to America..."
I just do not think that is true unless he means only our country, in which case he's comparing one country versus an entire region. Citing both books he mentions, it is estimated there were approximately 1 million European slaves in North Africa. By comparison, it is estimated that there were approximately 12 million slaves from Africa in Europe and the Americas.
I don't think there is any way it can be argued that there were more European slaves than African.
Westy, I applaud your resourcefulness. I, too, saw that apparent discrepancy. But Sowell, as you allude to, is comparing "North Africa" and "America", not North Africa and North America.
>>in which case he's comparing one country versus an entire region.<<
Not exactly, because he is comparing the slave-holding States in the U.S. to the Barbary States of the Ottoman Empire.
If you want to compare the 12 million Africans enslaved by European and Americans in a reasonable manner, which most people do not want to do, consider the entire history of Muslim nations' practice of slavery, from Arab nations to Persia to Turkey, etc. Consider the practices of the Aztecs, whose demise was only achieved by Cortes with help from other tribes who were frequently enslaved and sacrificed.
The reality is that almost every culture used slaves, and that Christianity fueled the first effective abolition of slavery, in part due to the U.S. and British naval superiority over pirate slave masters.
And it should be added, it is likely the Barbary states had even more African slaves than European ones.
Although pockets of slavery continue to exist in the world, I am thankful that it has been substantially wiped out.
Post a Comment