Maia wrote: ↑Thu Nov 06, 2025 11:32 am
Belinda wrote: ↑Thu Nov 06, 2025 11:15 am
Maia wrote: ↑Mon Nov 03, 2025 7:56 pm
As is the case with any other empire, or polity, in history. Let's take slavery as an example. Every empire in history has practiced it, including the British Empire. But only one empire in history has ever changed its mind and done everything in its power to stamp it out across the whole world. Can you guess which one that was?
But it was not only Britain that made slavery illegal.
From ChatGPT:-
Countries and Abolition Dates
Country / Empire / Region Year(s) Action
Portugal 1761 / 1869 Ended slavery in Europe (1761); colonies (1869)
France 1794 / 1848 Abolished during Revolution; re-abolished permanently in 1848
Haiti 1804 Abolished slavery via successful revolution (first Black republic)
Denmark–Norway 1803 First European state to ban the slave trade
Britain 1807 / 1833 Abolition of Slave Trade Act; Slavery Abolition Act
United States 1808 / 1865 Trade banned; slavery ended by 13th Amendment
Mexico 1829 Abolished slavery under Vicente Guerrero
Chile 1823 Complete abolition
Gran Colombia (Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador) 1821 Gradual abolition law
Greece 1822 Banned slavery in its first constitution
Central American Republics 1824–1829 Abolition enacted regionally
Bolivia 1831 Abolished slavery
British India 1843 Slavery abolished (poorly enforced)
Tunisia 1846 First Muslim-majority country to outlaw slavery
Sweden 1847 Abolished slavery
Ottoman Empire 1847–1882 Series of decrees banning slave trade and slavery
Netherlands 1863 Abolished slavery in colonies
Cuba (Spanish Empire) 1886 Final abolition under Spain
Brazil 1888 Last in the Americas (Lei Áurea)
China (Qing Empire) 1906 Imperial edict banning slavery
Iran (Persia) 1929 Abolition decree
Ethiopia 1942 Official abolition by Haile Selassie
Saudi Arabia 1962 Official abolition under King Faisal
Mauritania 1981 / 2007 Legal abolition; criminalized in 2007
Only the British Empire had the power to enforce the ban across the whole world. Not perfectly, but mostly. At great expense, it should be noted, and the debts incurred by the British government abolishing slavery were not fully paid off until 2015. Anyone who was a taxpayer in the UK up to that point, including myself, helped to pay for this great altruistic enterprise that changed the world.
But the British Empire did not include Portugal 1761 / 1869 Ended slavery in Europe (1761); colonies (1869)
France 1794 / 1848 Abolished during Revolution; re-abolished permanently in 1848
Haiti 1804 Abolished slavery via successful revolution (first Black republic)
Denmark–Norway 1803 First European state to ban the slave trade
United States 1808 / 1865 Trade banned; slavery ended by 13th Amendment
Mexico 1829 Abolished slavery under Vicente Guerrero
Chile 1823 Complete abolition
Gran Colombia (Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador) 1821 Gradual abolition law
Greece 1822 Banned slavery in its first constitution
Central American Republics 1824–1829 Abolition enacted regionally
Bolivia 1831 Abolished slavery
Tunisia 1846 First Muslim-majority country to outlaw slavery
Sweden 1847 Abolished slavery
Ottoman Empire 1847–1882 Series of decrees banning slave trade and slavery
Netherlands 1863 Abolished slavery in colonies
Cuba (Spanish Empire) 1886 Final abolition under Spain
Brazil 1888 Last in the Americas (Lei Áurea)
China (Qing Empire) 1906 Imperial edict banning slavery
Iran (Persia) 1929 Abolition decree
Ethiopia 1942 Official abolition by Haile Selassie
Saudi Arabia 1962 Official abolition under King Faisal
Mauritania 1981 / 2007 Legal abolition; criminalized in 2007
Only the British Empire had the power to enforce the ban across the whole world. Not perfectly, but mostly. At great expense, it should be noted, and the debts incurred by the British government abolishing slavery were not fully paid off until 2015. Anyone who was a taxpayer in the UK up to that point, including myself, helped to pay for this great altruistic enterprise that changed the world.
[/quote]
But the British Empire did not include
Portugal 1761 / 1869 Ended slavery in Europe (1761); colonies (1869)
France 1794 / 1848 Abolished during Revolution; re-abolished permanently in 1848
Haiti 1804 Abolished slavery via successful revolution (first Black republic)
Denmark–Norway 1803 First European state to ban the slave trade
Britain 1807 / 1833 Abolition of Slave Trade Act; Slavery Abolition Act
United States 1808 / 1865 Trade banned; slavery ended by 13th Amendment
Mexico 1829 Abolished slavery under Vicente Guerrero
Chile 1823 Complete abolition
Gran Colombia (Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador) 1821 Gradual abolition law
Greece 1822 Banned slavery in its first constitution
Central American Republics 1824–1829 Abolition enacted regionally
Bolivia 1831 Abolished slavery
Tunisia 1846 First Muslim-majority country to outlaw slavery
Sweden 1847 Abolished slavery
Ottoman Empire 1847–1882 Series of decrees banning slave trade and slavery
Netherlands 1863 Abolished slavery in colonies
Cuba (Spanish Empire) 1886 Final abolition under Spain
Brazil 1888 Last in the Americas (Lei Áurea)
China (Qing Empire) 1906 Imperial edict banning slavery
Iran (Persia) 1929 Abolition decree
Ethiopia 1942 Official abolition by Haile Selassie
Saudi Arabia 1962 Official abolition under King Faisal
Mauritania 1981 / 2007 Legal abolition; criminalized in 2007
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