Past present: Cry freedom

Published July 20, 2014
Illustration by Abro
Illustration by Abro

Since the Slavonic society benefitted from it in terms of comfort and leisure, the institution of slavery was never questioned. On the contrary, it was justified.

The Roman society had a large slave population because of the defeated people who were captured in wars and sold as slaves in the market. They cultivated farms, were made to work in the mines and fought as gladiators to entertain the public. They also worked as domestic servants. Generally, they were treated as property without any consideration of them being humans.

As their number increased, the Romans also feared a revolt which eventually erupted in 73BC led by a slave called Spartacus. He collected nearly 80,000 slaves to challenge the Roman Empire. Initially, the slaves were successful in fighting minor battles against the Romans. However, realising the popularity of the revolt the Roman senate decided to send some experienced generals to crush it. So in 72BC Spartacus and his slave army was defeated but the Roman authorities could not identify Spartacus among the slave prisoners. In the film Spartacus, there is a moving scene when the Roman general asks the prisoners who Spartacus was and in reply, each slave stood up one by one claiming to be Spartacus. As a result, 6,000 slaves were crucified outside Rome while the rest were slaughtered.

Another important slave revolt occurred in 869AD by the East African slaves, known as Zanj, during the Abbasid period. These slaves worked in the marshes of Iraq under hard conditions. When hardship and brutality of the authorities became unbearable, they revolted against the Abbasid caliph. Finally, their revolt was crushed in 883AD.


As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. — Abraham Lincoln


The reason of their defeat was their lack of weapons, resources and military training. They revolted and fought against disciplined armies despite knowing that there was little hope for success.

In the 16th century, when South America was conquered and occupied by Spain, the local population was used as minors who were not accustomed to labour. It was then decided that slaves should be brought in from Africa.

This introduced a new chapter of African slavery. According to an estimate about 15m slaves were brought to South and North Americas and the Caribbean Islands to work in the sugar cane plantations.

Saint-Domingue was a French colony where sugar cane and coffee plantations provided a great source of income. The population consisted of 30,000 white people and about half a million black slaves.

When the French revolution broke out and raised the slogan of liberty, equality and fraternity, it inspired not only the common people of France but also other nations. As the National Assembly drafted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens in 1789, the news reached St. Domingo creating a hope and inspiration among the slave population for freedom and basic human rights.

From 1791 to 1794 were crucial years for the revolution as radical reforms were introduced and implemented. This was when the slave revolt broke out in Saint-Domingue. The slaves attacked plantations and burnt them. They hunted down the white population and killed most of them while some took refuge in the coastal towns in the hope of getting help from France. When the news of the revolt reached France, there was a debate in the Convention regarding slavery. The argument of the radical members was that slavery was against the principals of revolution, therefore, it should be abolished. While the early moderate revolutionaries seriously considered the question of slavery, the moderate revolutionaries were unwilling to end slavery despite the Decla-ration of the Rights of Man and Citizens.

This triggered mass slave revolts in Saint-Domingue, and Toussaint became the leader of the slave rebellion. He became known as Toussaint L’Ouverture (the one who finds an opening) and brilliantly led his slave army. Taking full advantage of the rivalry of France with Spain and England, he successfully fought the French (who helped by succumbing to yellow fever in large numbers) as well as invading the Spanish and British.

Finally, Saint-Domingue was declared the republic of Haiti. The significance of this revolt is that it was the only one which succeeded in defeating the masters and achieve independence. Although Napoleon tried to bring it back under French control and re-establish slavery, he remained unsuccessful. Toussaint L’Ouverture, because of his victory and success also became known as ‘black Napoleon’. In his book Black Jacobins, C.L.R. James presents an interesting analysis of the revolt and its consequences.

The success of this revolt inspired the leaders who were struggling for liberation from Spanish colonialism. Simon Bolivar, the great hero of the freedom movement took refuge in Haiti from his enemies and got support for his struggle against Spain. On the other hand, the slave-owners of North America and the Caribbean Islands were terrified of further slave rebellions.

No revolt broke out in these countries yet the slaves had to wait for years to achieve freedom and liberty.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, July 20th, 2014

Opinion

Editorial

Afghan turbulence
Updated 19 Mar, 2024

Afghan turbulence

RELATIONS between the newly formed government and Afghanistan’s de facto Taliban rulers have begun on an...
In disarray
19 Mar, 2024

In disarray

IT is clear that there is some bad blood within the PTI’s ranks. Ever since the PTI lost a key battle over ...
Festering wound
19 Mar, 2024

Festering wound

PROTESTS unfolded once more in Gwadar, this time against the alleged enforced disappearances of two young men, who...
Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...