HST 498 - Essay 2

Two factions confronted each other in British parliament during the early eighteenth century; the Whigs and the Tories. They were the only political parties in Britain until the mid 19th century and their opposite beliefs helped to develop the idea of a left and right wings of politics. The Whigs stood for political and economic liberalism, a strong parliament, and religious tolerance, the Tories defended the rights of the Anglican Church and crown. After the Industrial revolution, the emerging middle class elicited reactionary policies from the aristocratic Tories who dominated the parliament. The basic problem in the eighteenth century and early nineteenth century was the partition of power. The old aristocratic members of parliament were adamant in refusing to yield its control over to the state. Some liberal Tories however, felt that the public protests of injustice had validity and responded by passing legislation reforming laws, especially in the debate of anti- slavery. The early abolitionist movement dates from the late eighteenth century and continued into the early nineteenth century. The movement included campaigners from all member of society; women, black activists, working men, church leaders, and members of parliament from both parties. All of those involved in the movement to abolish slavery had their reasons for their support of the faction and their own role in finally abolishing slavery in Britain.
For the most part, the early opponents focused on the immorality of the slave trade. Their beliefs stemmed from Enlightenment thinkers who demanded a review of the methods of government on the basis of reason and an idea of equality of all mankind. The main groups involved in these ideologies were women, Quakers, and slaves. These groups brought petitions to the parliament, staged protests and boycotts, and were extremely successful in gaining support for their cause. Their greatest alliances came from members of parliament who were able to bring the issue of the morality of the slave trade to the courts. The members of these groups believed in a system of equality and saw the slave trade and slavery as evil and unchristian. Their uprisings caused members of parliament to look at the system of slavery and reevaluate it. The second movement of anti-slavery came from an economic standpoint. The politicians, merchants, and economists began to argue that the slave trade was too costly and the economic benefit no longer existed. Therefore, if the cost outweighed the benefit the slave system was no longer worth the effort.
In either case, whether the cause for the abolishment of slavery was humanitarian or economic, the fact remains that people from all parts of society, men and women, whites and blacks, Whigs and Tories, came together to destroy a system that was cruel and unnecessary;