## Initial Government Trade Policy: Protectionism and Mercantilism Early British trade policy was characterized by **protectionism** and **mercantilism**. The goal was to secure advantageous trade relationships with colonies while shielding domestic producers from foreign competition. This approach, however, created significant tension and unrest. Remember that protectionism aims to protect domestic industries, often through tariffs and quotas, while mercantilism focuses on maximizing exports and minimizing imports to accumulate wealth (usually in the form of gold and silver). **Mercantilism:** This system prioritized a **positive balance of trade**, meaning exporting more than importing to accumulate wealth (typically gold and silver). Colonies played a crucial role, supplying raw materials and serving as markets for finished goods. Britain's Navigation Acts are a prime example of mercantilist policy. These acts restricted colonial trade to English ships and ports, ensuring that taxes and tariffs flowed to the British treasury. **Free Trade:** In contrast to mercantilism, free trade minimizes import and export taxes, fostering competition between merchants across borders. This benefits producers offering the cheapest goods but risks driving less efficient producers out of business. ## The Transatlantic Slave Trade The transatlantic slave trade was a brutal system involving three legs: 1. **Leg 1 (Britain to Africa):** British goods (glassware, silver, copper, brass) were exchanged for enslaved Africans. 2. **Leg 2 (Africa to Americas):** Enslaved Africans were transported across the Middle Passage to the Americas. 3. **Leg 3 (Americas to Europe):** Raw materials (sugar, cotton, tobacco) were shipped back to Europe. The Middle Passage was notoriously deadly, with a significant portion of enslaved Africans perishing during the voyage. **Facts and Figures:** * Approximately 12 million Africans were captured and forced into slavery. * Bristol was the world's leading slave-trading port from 1723-1743, transporting around 11,000 enslaved Africans annually in the 1720s. * Slave-related activities accounted for 40% of Bristolians' income in the late 18th century. * Between 1698 and 1807, 2108 slave ships departed from Bristol, delivering 486,059 slaves (90,000 died during the Middle Passage). * Liverpool surpassed Bristol as England's primary slave-trading port in 1744. **Britain's Involvement:** Cities like Liverpool, London, and Bristol bear lasting marks of Britain's involvement in the slave trade, with many buildings and institutions financed by profits from this horrific enterprise. It's crucial to understand that the wealth generated from the slave trade was built on the suffering and exploitation of millions of people. It's not simply a matter of economic history; it's a history of profound injustice. ## Arguments for Abolition The abolitionist movement gained momentum through various factors: * **Moral Arguments:** The Quakers spearheaded the movement, submitting their first petition to Parliament in 1783. Their efforts were amplified by alliances with other non-conformist groups and the leadership of William Wilberforce. * **Grassroots Campaign:** Abolitionists created a powerful grassroots campaign, effectively mobilizing public opinion. They gathered evidence of the horrors of slavery, including the Zong Massacre (1781), where 130 enslaved people were thrown overboard. * **Political Pressure:** The campaign pressured Parliament, eventually leading to the abolition of the slave trade. The abolitionist movement demonstrates the power of sustained activism and public pressure in bringing about significant social change. ## The Haitian Revolution and its Impact The Haitian Revolution (1791-1804) significantly influenced the British abolitionist movement. The French emancipation of slaves in Saint-Domingue (Haiti) initially presented abolition as a pro-French position, which Britain opposed. However, Britain's failed attempt to restore slavery in Haiti, coupled with Napoleon's efforts to reinstate it, ultimately shifted the narrative. Abolition became increasingly associated with anti-French sentiment, bolstering its support in Britain. ## The Abolition of the Slave Trade * **1804:** Wilberforce's bill to abolish the slave trade passed the House of Commons but failed in the House of Lords. * **1806:** The Foreign Slave Trade Act prohibited British subjects from supplying slaves to French colonies. * **1807:** The Slave Trade Act officially prohibited the British Empire from participating in the slave trade. While the Slave Trade Act ended British involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, slavery itself persisted within the British Empire for several more decades. ## Economic Systems: Mercantilism vs. Free Trade **Protectionism:** Involves taxes or prohibitions on imports and exports to protect domestic producers. While it safeguards local industries, it can lead to higher prices due to reduced competition. **Mercantilism:** A government-interventionist policy aiming for a positive balance of trade (exports exceeding imports) to accumulate wealth (gold and silver). Popular from the 16th to 18th centuries, it fueled colonial expansion and international conflict. **Free Trade:** An alternative system minimizing import/export taxes to encourage cross-border competition. It favors the most efficient producers but can lead to the displacement of less competitive ones. ## Adam Smith and the Critique of Mercantilism Adam Smith, considered the father of modern economics, criticized mercantilism in his *Wealth of Nations* (1776). He championed free markets, minimal government intervention, the division of labor, and the "invisible hand" – the idea that individual self-interest unintentionally benefits society. His ideas laid the groundwork for capitalism and continue to shape economic policy debates. ## The Great Reform Act (1832) and the Repeal of the Corn Laws The Great Reform Act of 1832 reformed the British electoral system, expanding the electorate and addressing the issue of "rotten boroughs" (underpopulated constituencies with disproportionate representation). This shift in political power contributed to the repeal of the Corn Laws (protectionist measures designed to keep grain prices high). The Anti-Corn Law League, a powerful free-trade lobby, played a significant role in this repeal. ## The Seven Years' War and its Aftermath The Seven Years' War (1756-1763) demonstrated Britain's commitment to protecting its colonial interests. Britain's victory expanded its colonial holdings but also led to increased tensions with its American colonies, contributing to the American Revolution. The increased British presence in America, coupled with new taxes and acts (Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Mutiny Act), fueled colonial resentment and resistance. These acts were controversial because they were seen as taxation without representation and an infringement on colonial autonomy.