It is true that Irish people were used as slaves, it just wasn’t done at a systematic scale equivalent to the African slave trade. The abduction of people from Africa was a global industry, and the scale that it operated at created inhuman horrors that are not really comparable to anything else (except maybe present-day Xinjiang).
You’re absolutely right, the scale of the transatlantic slave trade was greater than ever before seen in human history.
Somewhere between 1 in 5 to 1 in 6 died on the journey alone.
One needs to also be aware that slavery as practiced by modern Western colonial empires was even more cruel than how slavery was practiced traditionally even dating back to antiquity.
In most of the world slavery was often contingent and there were several pathways to manumission (freedom). It was not an inherited status by default (partus sequiter ventrum).
The Western colonial empires very much perceived the entire world according to a race based caste system where Europeans were the highest caste and those of African descent were the lowest. Complexion defined your worth as a person. They spread this worldview globally, which has poisoned so many minds over centuries, and the world is still recovering from it to this day.
America adopted and upheld this race based caste system until the civil rights act passed in the 1960s (within the lifetimes of many of parents/grandparents). During the American era of slavery, slaves had no legal rights. They did not have personhood. Children of slaves were automatically also slaves from birth. Slaves could be grieviously injured or killed with impunity. They were seen as property, or livestock.
This is not how slavery was practiced historically around the world.
In fact, even ancient Greece and Rome (both of which thrived on slavery) had more legal protections and pathways to freedom. Slavery was not race based. In many cases, they had earnings and could eventually buy their freedom. In Rome they could be set free by an owner and become Roman citizens.
None of this is taught in American history likely because the ruling class worries it would hurt the average person’s national pride and the ability to exert control over them. But the truth is no society can improve without honestly reflecting on its past so I hope there will be some that learn from this.
does anyone remember how the Koreans had enslavement for 2000 years that resulted in an entire caste system being developed to just maintain control of their property.
Listen only african slaves in the usa count. Definitely not the historic african slaves in africa and especially not the current slaves in africa or anywhere else lol
One is too many, but, the in American discourse at least, the implied equivalence is used to undercut and diminish the Atlantic slave trade, which I think no one can dispute echoes much louder into our present day.
One is too many, and I don’t mean to diminish that but at least in the context of the US I would argue there is slavery, and then there is Slavery.
You’re right rape is cool as long as im raping you, but if you try to rape me then itis a serious problem. Plus it was only a small number of times I raped you. /s
I’ve sat here and read this carefully a few times and I do not follow your point. Who is me and who is you in this scenario? Is you Ireland? And is me America or who is Africa? How does this seeming reciprocal rape relate to either, or indeed any, slavery situation?
I’m going back to reread the Wikipedia article just in case you’re too deep for me.
It is true that Irish people were used as slaves, it just wasn’t done at a systematic scale equivalent to the African slave trade. The abduction of people from Africa was a global industry, and the scale that it operated at created inhuman horrors that are not really comparable to anything else (except maybe present-day Xinjiang).
You’re absolutely right, the scale of the transatlantic slave trade was greater than ever before seen in human history.
Somewhere between 1 in 5 to 1 in 6 died on the journey alone.
One needs to also be aware that slavery as practiced by modern Western colonial empires was even more cruel than how slavery was practiced traditionally even dating back to antiquity.
In most of the world slavery was often contingent and there were several pathways to manumission (freedom). It was not an inherited status by default (partus sequiter ventrum).
The Western colonial empires very much perceived the entire world according to a race based caste system where Europeans were the highest caste and those of African descent were the lowest. Complexion defined your worth as a person. They spread this worldview globally, which has poisoned so many minds over centuries, and the world is still recovering from it to this day.
America adopted and upheld this race based caste system until the civil rights act passed in the 1960s (within the lifetimes of many of parents/grandparents). During the American era of slavery, slaves had no legal rights. They did not have personhood. Children of slaves were automatically also slaves from birth. Slaves could be grieviously injured or killed with impunity. They were seen as property, or livestock.
This is not how slavery was practiced historically around the world.
In fact, even ancient Greece and Rome (both of which thrived on slavery) had more legal protections and pathways to freedom. Slavery was not race based. In many cases, they had earnings and could eventually buy their freedom. In Rome they could be set free by an owner and become Roman citizens.
None of this is taught in American history likely because the ruling class worries it would hurt the average person’s national pride and the ability to exert control over them. But the truth is no society can improve without honestly reflecting on its past so I hope there will be some that learn from this.
does anyone remember how the Koreans had enslavement for 2000 years that resulted in an entire caste system being developed to just maintain control of their property.
oh…just me? ok…
Listen only african slaves in the usa count. Definitely not the historic african slaves in africa and especially not the current slaves in africa or anywhere else lol
Fuck you one was to many.
One is too many, but, the in American discourse at least, the implied equivalence is used to undercut and diminish the Atlantic slave trade, which I think no one can dispute echoes much louder into our present day.
One is too many, and I don’t mean to diminish that but at least in the context of the US I would argue there is slavery, and then there is Slavery.
So it’s wrong to discuss a demographic being treated poorly if a different demographic had it worse?
It’s an Irish holiday. When would be a more appropriate time to discuss it?
You’re right rape is cool as long as im raping you, but if you try to rape me then itis a serious problem. Plus it was only a small number of times I raped you. /s
I’ve sat here and read this carefully a few times and I do not follow your point. Who is me and who is you in this scenario? Is you Ireland? And is me America or who is Africa? How does this seeming reciprocal rape relate to either, or indeed any, slavery situation?
I’m going back to reread the Wikipedia article just in case you’re too deep for me.
All slavery matters does that help your wee brain or do you prefer the buzzword irish slaves matter?
Is anything I said incompatible with the statement all slavery matters?
I hope at some point you can find happiness in your life.
If people started using their brains and think for themselves it would bring happiness into my life.