After 1833 : British entanglement with Brazilian slavery
In the context of renewed academic and public interest in Britain's relationship with slavery in the post-emancipation era, this thesis looks beyond the political borders of the British empire to Brazil, where individual Britons and British enterprises continued to own and invest in slave property for long periods after 1833. In fact, the last vestiges of Britain's entanglement with slavery in the Americas were only extinguished upon abolition in Brazil in 1888. Though this fact has been recognised by historians, much of what we know relates to the use of slave labour in the British-owned mines of Minas Gerais. This thesis explores the material basis of this entanglement outside of these exclaves, exposing British slaveholding in a variety of rural and urban contexts. The exploitation of slave labour is only part of the story. British banks and other creditors were also deeply entangled in the form of mortgages secured by human collateral. Though financial entanglement can appear innocuous in the abstract, this thesis pieces together fragmentary evidence of their potential for devastating consequences on the lives of the enslaved. Restoring these overlooked British connections with Brazilian slavery is surely
Mulhern, Joseph Martin
After 1833 : British entanglement with Brazilian slavery. In the context of renewed academic and public interest in Britain's relationship with slavery in the post-emancipation era, this thesis looks beyond the political borders of the British empire to Brazil, where individual Britons and British enterprises continued to own and invest in slave property for long periods after 1833. In fact, the last vestiges of Britain's entanglement with slavery in the Americas were only extinguished upon abolition in Brazil in 1888. Though this fact has been recognised by historians, much of what we know relates to the use of slave labour in the British-owned mines of Minas Gerais. This thesis explores the material basis of this entanglement outside of these exclaves, exposing British slaveholding in a variety of rural and urban contexts. The exploitation of slave labour is only part of the story. British banks and other creditors were also deeply entangled in the form of mortgages secured by human collateral. Though financial entanglement can appear innocuous in the abstract, this thesis pieces together fragmentary evidence of their potential for devastating consequences on the lives of the enslaved. Restoring these overlooked British connections with Brazilian slavery is surely
british entanglement brazilian slavery context renew academic public_interest britain relationship slavery post emancipation era look_beyond political border british_empire brazil individual britons british enterprise continue invest slave property long_period fact last britain entanglement slavery americas extinguish upon abolition brazil though fact recognise historian much know relates use slave labour british owned mine explore material basis entanglement outside expose british variety rural_urban context exploitation slave labour part story british bank creditor also deeply entangled form mortgage secure human though financial entanglement appear abstract piece together fragmentary_evidence potential consequence live enslave overlook british connection brazilian slavery surely