Moral Imperium: Afro-Caribbeans and the Transformation of British Rule, 1776-1838

by Ronald Richardson

Overview

During the past decade, the problem of British slave emancipation has generated considerable historiographical debate. Yet, until now, this debate has emphasized the relative importance of ideals and material self-interest in the British emancipation movement. In Moral Imperium, Ronald Richardson offers a new assessment of the relative importance of ideas, religious enthusiasm, national interest, and political circumstances. Arguing that historians have yet to develop an understanding of the impact of the Afro-Caribbean population on the development of British anti-slavery thought in general and the anti-slavery movement as a whole, he contends that abolition and emancipation were carried out in the context of British rule and were designed to create a social environment that would be receptive to British needs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313247248
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	01/19/1987
Series:	Contributions in Comparative Colonial Studies , #22
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.62(d)

About the Author

RONALD KENT RICHARDSON has lectured extensively in Afro-American and Caribbean Studies and has served as a university administrator.

Table of Contents

Preface
The Problem of Slavery
The Foundation of the West Indian Empire and the Conditions for Colonial Dependency
The Signs of Power
Imperial Benevolence
The Dangers of Slavery
Conclusion
Selected Bibliography
Index