3.5 Case Study: Responding to Slavery


Slavery in the times of imperialism brought thousands of Africans to the Americas to work on plantations. Slaves had few legal rights, and in many ways they were not treated as human beings. After slavery was made illegal, former slaves and their descendants were uneducated and poverty stricken.


Creation of Liberia and Sierra Leone

Two nations were established in Africa as homelands for poor black people and former slaves. Liberia was established by American missionaries as an independent nation, a homeland for slaves who had been freed from their owners. Thousands of former American slaves moved to Liberia. It was unofficially supported by the United States for many years. Sierra Leone, right next to Liberia, was a former Portuguese slave trading center. It was established as a homeland for poor blacks by Great Britain in the 1700s and was for a time a British protectorate and later a British colony.

Both nations were founded with good intentions, but the settlers who arrived from the United States and Britain were former slaves who had originated from all across Africa. Uprooted from their own homes as slaves, they proceeded to displace the Indigenous African tribes in their new homeland. Generally speaking, they were wealthier, more educated, and had far greater political power than the local people. Eventually, this led to tribal conflict and brutal civil wars.
Africans of American slave ancestry pose overlooking Freetown
Ted Spiegel/National Geographic Stock


Case Study: Responding to Apartheid: Truth and Reconciliation Commission


Truth and Reconciliation Commissions are similar to national courts. They are established to deal with unrest and social problems caused by civil war, corrupt leadership, and other internal political problems in a country. Many of these commissions have been set up all around the world:  in Guatemala and Sierra Leone to deal with the aftermath of long and brutal civil wars, in Peru to deal with a long period of terrorism, in Argentina to deal with violations of human rights, and in the United States to deal with a violent clash in Greensboro, North Carolina. Basically, they are public forums that encourage citizens to come to terms with the past by sharing multiple perspectives, acknowledging past wrongs, and moving forward into a better future.

Truth and Reconciliation in South Africa

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa was established at the end of the apartheid era. At that time, the injustices of institutionalized racial discrimination as a result of imperialism had caused huge turmoil in the country. People who believed they had been victims of violence could come forward and be heard. Those who committed the violence could also be heard. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission had an important role in the transition of South Africa from a country controlled by a white minority to a full-fledged democracy. It was largely a success and is a model for many nations where injustices occurred.



James P Blair/National Geographic Stock

Apartheid

As a result of historical imperialism, Dutch and English immigrants to South Africa established a system of government in which races were separated by law: White, Black, Indian, and Coloured. Each group had its own schools, medical care systems, and rules for employment. Different groups had to live in different areas, often being resettled by force into areas that were not their homes. Anyone who was not white had no right to vote. Blacks required a pass to move around the country, even into areas where they worked. This gave the white population, which represented under 20% of the population, complete power. Apartheid was officially defined as "separate development for separate races".

Those who were discriminated against did not want this system in place, and they were joined by significant numbers of whites. Protests resulted in many blacks being killed or imprisoned. The international community gradually began to protest, putting international pressure on South Africa. Gradually, the laws began to change, and apartheid was abolished officially in 1991. A new, multi-racial government came into power in 1994.

Apartheid created a nation of inequalities that still exist in South Africa. On the one hand, much of the wealth is still in the hands of the white minority. On the other hand, there is a movement in South Africa to confiscate land from white landholders (with or without paying for it) and redistribute it to the black majority. In late February 2018, the South African government passed a motion to change the part of their constitution that guarantees the right to own property, in order to allow for "land expropriation without compensation". Supporters of the motion argue that this is necessary to redress the wrongs committed under imperialism and apartheid. Opponents say it is only causing further injustice and is not a legitimate way to redress these wrongs.


The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was an attempt by the people and government of South Africa to come to terms with their past. Trials were held in which victims and their accused met face-to-face to explain the consequences of the actions of the past. The commission had three parts:

  1. Human Rights Violations Committee that investigated abuses of human rights
  2. Reparation and Rehabilitation Committee whose task was to restore the dignity of victims and discover ways of providing rehabilitation
  3. Amnesty Committee that considered applications for forgiveness that could be granted to people seeking amnesty who were charged with atrocities in politically-motivated crimes and who told the entire and whole truth of their actions

No one was exempt from being charged, including ordinary citizens, the police, and members of the African National Congress, which was the ruling political party at the time of the trial. Many witnesses came forward to testify about acts committed by the apartheid government and other forces for violence. Victims were able to confront the accused face-to-face and see each other as human beings. It was a painful process, but most people believe it aided the healing process and has led to a more peaceful and just society.

The Commission's final report in 1998 condemned both sides for committing atrocities.


There are many interesting movies about this topic.

  • Long Night's Journey into Day

  • Invictus