Global Slave Trades provides a comprehensive exploration of how the forced movement of millions shaped the modern world. It examines the slave trades as interconnected systems spanning centuries and continents, crucial for understanding contemporary issues of inequality and injustice. The book goes beyond historical recounting to demonstrate how these trades created lasting systems of exploitation and shaped racial identities, impacting global power structures still visible today. For instance, enslaved labor fueled industries like agriculture and mining, significantly boosting economies in the Americas, Europe, and parts of Africa and Asia.
The book analyzes the economic drivers, political machinations, and social consequences of these trades. It begins with an overview of diverse forms of slavery, then delves into how enslaved labor fueled economic growth and how legal systems legitimized exploitation. It also explores resistance movements by enslaved people and abolitionists, highlighting their impact.
Ultimately, Global Slave Trades addresses the after-effects of slavery, such as economic disparity and social inequality, offering a nuanced account to deepen our understanding of the forces shaping the modern world.
