Summary report of the meeting of experts
on the African slave trade223Ideological positions with regard to the problem of the
slave tradeThis topic was discussed from three different points of view:
First, the discussion of cultural heritages prior to the eighteenth century,
the role of the Enlightenment, racialism and Marxism were not pushed very
far.
Research needs to be done on the responsibility of classical philosophy
and also on certain monotheistic trends which made it philosophically possible
to justify the unequal position of the blacks. Perhaps it can at least be said
that it was a far cry in fact from the principles proclaimed and those of Chris-
tianity, the Enlightenment to the social reality of slavery. A number of experts
strongly stressed the historical contradiction between the statements of prin-
ciple on the part of the authorized representatives of Christianity and the reality
of actual support for the slave trade over a long period on the part of church-
men and missionaries, even if they were disavowed by their superiors.
The real centre of interest lies therefore in the conception of slavery
held by the societies which practised it to the detriment of the Africans. Clari-
fying studies must still be carried out in order to arrive at closer definitions
of the meaning attaching to the term 'slave' in the different societies involved.
Similarly, the meeting decided to refer to the International Scientific Committee
for a General History of Africa the controversial problem of the terminology
that should be used in connection with the topics under discussion.
The circumstances in which anti-black racism arose were not defined
with sufficient vigour. How, by what means and at what time did the transition
take place from the notion of'natural inequality' of individuals and the notion
of racialism?
The contribution of theoretical Marxism to the discussion of slavery
was mentioned; it consists mainly in the denunciation of the labour force and
of the surplus profits made possible by the slave trade.
At this initial level, the meeting contributed neither decisive information
nor the beginnings of any new thought. It simply noted that the debate remains
open.
The question of the theoretical attitude of Indian communities confronted
with the presence of African slaves was raised but no answer was forthcoming.
Second, whatever the noble intentions and proclamations of churchmen and
philosophers, the ideology applied in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
supported the interests of the European middle class. This explains the con-
tradictions mentioned by many experts.
For example, ideology justified the capture of slaves—who were 'pagan'
and thus destined to eternal damnation—by the 'possibility of salvation' con-
ferred on them through baptism or conversion to Islam. This attempt at justi-