What were the arguments against abolition?

Powerful groups of people opposed the abolitionist movement and wanted the trade in enslaved African people to continue.

People with financial interests:

• plantation owners relying on enslaved labour
• investors with business interests in goods associated with the trade in enslaved people
• companies that profited from shipping, insurance and investment in the trade

Leaders of towns and cities which profited from the trade:

• London - financial institutions provided insurance and loans to shipping companies trading enslaved people
• Bristol - an important centre for the importing of sugar from Caribbean plantations
• Liverpool - Britain's largest trader in enslaved Africans and a major port for imported cotton harvested on plantations
• Glasgow - the main centre of Europe's tobacco trade

MPs and of the House of Lords:

• some had their own financial interests in the trade
• some were paid by lobby groups run by plantation owners

There were also political fears about abolition:

• abolition was seen as linked to radical politics and republicanism
• the French Revolution led to fears of instability in Britain
• French colonies freed enslaved Africans and saw risings and rebellions. British politicians feared the same
• the British economy depended on money associated with the trade in enslaved people

Many people benefited from the trade in enslaved African people. Abolition threatened their income:

• plantation owners risked losing the enslaved workers they relied on
• traders in enslaved Africans would no longer have a business
• investors in businesses linked to the trade in enslaved people risked losing their profits
• workers in industries that benefitted from the trade could lose their jobs and income

Many British cities grew wealthy from the trade in enslaved people. Some were directly involved in the trade. Others profited from the goods and products made using enslaved labour.

• London's financial institutions such as Lloyd's of London and Barclays provided insurance and loans to ships trading enslaved African people
• Bristol's port was an important centre for importing sugar from Caribbean plantations
• Liverpool was Britain's largest trader in enslaved Africans. The port also imported cotton harvested on plantations to use in British textile mills
• Glasgow controlled much of Europe's tobacco trade. This tobacco was grown and harvested in the Americas by enslaved labour

These trades and the wealth they created ed the wider economy of British cities:

Trades such as textile manufacture, rope making and shipbuilding all relied on custom based on the trade. Ships used to transport enslaved Africans needed to be built and refitted. The trade in enslaved Africans also employed thousands of sailors.

British cotton mills depended on cheap cotton grown using enslaved labour.

The triangular trade made Africa a profitable market for British manufactured goods such as cloth, guns and alcohol.

Wealthy merchants from London, Liverpool and Bristol opposed the abolition of the slave trade to protect their businesses.

In 1775 a petition was sent to parliament by the mayor, merchants and people of Bristol in of continuation of the trade in enslaved African people.

Many wealthy and influential people had business interests in Caribbean plantations. Abolition was a direct financial threat.

Lobby groups opposed to abolition paid and persuaded of Parliament o their interests.

Some MPs and of the House of Lords had direct financial interests in plantations and the trade in enslaved Africans:

• William Beckford, owner of a 22,000 acre estate in Jamaica, was twice Lord Mayor of London
• in the mid to late 1700s, over 50 MPs in Parliament represented slave plantations
• between 1700 and 1820, at least 25 of Liverpool's lord mayors were closely involved in the slave trade

The House of Commons was dominated by various interest groups. The West India Lobby was for long the most powerful. The Duke of Clarence, one of the sons of George III, was a member of the group. The West India Lobby proved tough opposition to the abolitionists.

The Society of West India Planters and Merchants formed in the 1760s. This group increased their representation in Parliament to affect legislation on sugar duties and protect their interests.

Tactics included producing witnesses who ed the trade to testify in parliamentary inquiries.

As the push for abolition grew stronger, the French Revolution (1789-1799) took place. This held back progress towards abolition.

Some abolitionists, such as Thomas Clarkson, shared similar republican ideals to the French Revolution.

Abolitionists were widely viewed as being as radical as the French revolutionaries. The opponents of abolition used the violence and chaos in as a warning: what was occurring in could occur in Britain.

The ideals of the French Revolution – "liberty, equality, fraternity" – were seen as a direct threat to 'owners' of enslaved people. If all people were equal and entitled to freedom, then enslavement could not exist.

In the 1790s, ed laws that gave enslaved Africans in French overseas colonies their freedom. At the same time, some colonies tried to end French control. There were fears abolition would lead to rebellion in British colonies.

During the same period, Britain was at war with . for abolition was seen as unive of the war effort.

Many groups opposed abolition:

Financial interests

• plantation owners relied on enslaved labour
• investors in the trade
• business owners who profited from goods and services related to the trade
• textile workers relied on cotton grown by enslaved workers on plantations

Cities

• Some cities grew wealthy as a result of the trade
• London - financial institutions provided insurance and loans to shipping companies
• Bristol - imported sugar Caribbean plantations
• Liverpool - traded in enslaved Africans and imported cotton h
• Glasgow - grew wealthy from the tobacco trade

Workers

• shipyard workers built and refitted slaver ships
• dockers and warehouse workers unloaded goods from the plantations
• thousands of sailors were employed in the triangular trade

Politicians

• some MPs and of the House of Lords were plantation owners
• some politicians were paid by lobby groups who opposed abolition

There was also political opposition to abolition:

• abolitionists were seen as radicals with dangerous views
• the French Revolution led to fears of instability in Britain
• French colonies freed enslaved Africans and saw rebellions. British politicians feared similar unrest
• the British economy depended on money associated with the trade in enslaved people, especially at a time of war with