Two impressive studies have reexamined Eric Williams' conclusion that Britain's abolition of the slave trade in 1807 and its emancipation of slaves in its colonies in 1834 were driven primarily by economic rather than humanitarian motives. ββββββββ ββ ββββββββ βββββ βββββββββββββ βββ βββ ββββββββββββ ββ βββββββ ββββββ βββββ βββββββββ βββββββββ ββ βββββββββ βββ ββ ββββ ββββββ ββ ββββββββββ ββ βββββββ ββββββββ βββββββββ
Two Challenges to Williams' Conclusion Β·That British abolitionist movement was primarily driven by economics.
Williams argues that the slave colonies were becoming a drag on the British economy. That's why Britain abolished slavery, not because they thought it was wrong. But two studies question that conclusion.
2. Eltis' conclusion Β·Williams was partly right, partly wrong
It is economics that drove abolition; just not what Williams thought. The slave colonies' economies were fine. But slave labor wasn't good for the broader economy of the British empire.
Passage Style
Critique or debate
Phenomenon-hypothesis
26.
The information in the passage ββββββββ ββββ βββββ βββ ββββββββ βββββ ββββ
Question Type
Implied
Otherβs perspective
Eltisβ argument is that abolition gained widespread support because voluntary labor came to seen as economically better for Britain, in ways that appealed to employers and laborers alike. Drescherβs argument is that widespread populist activism drove abolition. So they at least seem to agree that support was widespread, even if they donβt agree about the underlying reasons for that support.
a
people of all βββββββ ββ βββββββ βββββββββ βββ βββββββββ ββ βββββββ
Both agree. Drescher notes that support for abolition βcut across lines of class.β And Eltisβ entire argument is an answer to the question of why people of all classes supported abolition: voluntary labor and higher wages led to βwant creationβ and stronger consumer markets, which appealed to employers and laborers alike.
b
the motives behind βββββββββ βββββββββ ββ βββββββ ββββ βββββββββ ββββββββ
Drescher disagrees. His argument rejects economics as the explanation.
c
the moral vision ββ βββββββββββββ ββββββ β βββββ ββββ ββ βββββββββ βββββββββ ββ βββββββ
Drescher disagrees. His argument rejects the moral vision of abolitionists as the explanation.
d
British traditions of βββββββ ββββ ββββ βββββββββ ββ ββββββββββ
Misdirection. Eltis (and the author) think this about Drescher. Drescherβs argument is that British traditions of liberty are important in explaining how abolition came about. He doesnβt suggest that he, or anyone else, is idealizing Britainβs pro-liberty views. But Eltis disagrees; he points out how Britain wasnβt actually all that pro-liberty.
Eltis disagrees. His argument is that Britainβs pro-liberty political activism doesnβt explain the abolition of slavery; rather, abolition came about because voluntary labor came to be seen as more economically beneficial.
Difficulty
48% of people who answer get this correct
This is a very difficult question.
It is similar in difficulty to other questions in this passage.
CURVE
Score of students with a 50% chance of getting this right
25%156
167
75%178
Analysis
Implied
Otherβs perspective
Critique or debate
Humanities
Phenomenon-hypothesis
Answer Popularity
PopularityAvg. score
a
48%
168
b
20%
161
c
11%
164
d
12%
162
e
9%
163
Question history
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