Slavery and Colonialism: Pros and Cons
My Standpoint
Colonialism and slavery, in my view, are both kinds of oppression and exploitation that are carried out by a group of people or nations against other groups or nations who are weaker. Colonialism and slavery are practices that are carried out to accrue the most significant possible benefit from the people or nations that are colonized. In my opinion, the reason that colonialism and slavery are brought about in human history is because of unbridled greed or avarice. In addition, people who colonize and enslave are usually also very chauvinistic and racist so that they always consider themselves or their group to be of higher status while others are of lower status; even in the past, there was an assumption that those who were colonized, were not human but were considered animals. According to my view, the teachings of Christ regarding loving God and loving others are in direct opposition to the practices of colonization and slavery. Greed and greed, as well as chauvinistic beliefs, are not lessons that can be found in the Bible. We cannot find instructions on these topics. In my perspective, Christian leaders are responsible for teaching authentic Christian values within the congregation. This includes imparting a correct understanding of colonialism and slavery to prevent Christians from engaging in acts of oppression and exploitation.
The experience of our nation, which was subjected to colonization for several centuries by colonists to exploit our nation’s natural resources in the form of spices and other natural resources, is the foundation upon which my perspectives and ideas are founded. According to the tales that have been handed down from one generation to the next, our forefathers were frequently subjected to barbaric treatment, which included forced labor, the acquisition of land, torture, and even murder if they put up a fight. In addition, many influential people were taken into custody and ultimately banished. When seen in the context of the history of our nation, colonization and slavery constitute a dark section of history that is filled with pain. Because these actions of colonization and slavery were carried out, widespread poverty and ignorance were experienced. Recovering from this gloomy circumstance required a significant amount of time.
As a result, the agony that was endured by the several ethnic groups that comprise our nation sparked a sense of solidarity and a collective effort to drive the invaders out of our country. In 1945, as a result, we declared our independence as a sovereign and independent nation, liberating ourselves from the shackles of colonialism and bringing the ideals of freedom into reality. What we have learned from the tragic history of colonialism and slavery that took place in our homeland is that freedom is the most fundamental right that every single human being and every single nation in the globe possesses. In my opinion, this unpleasant experience ought to serve as a valuable lesson for Christians in Indonesia, teaching them to have a high level of awareness of the phenomenon of tyranny and exploitation that occurs all around us, carried out by anyone against anyone.
Views that confirm my thoughts:
Jeremy Black
– Slavery is an act that violates and robs human rights. According to Jeremy Black, slavery not only takes away individual freedom but also forces others into exploitative forced labor throughout the world. Black states, “Slavery as the condition of being without freedom is different to those of labour without payment to the worker, or of coerced labour… [It] entails a denial of personal freedom.”[1] .
– Slavery contradicts Christian moral teachings: Black shows how Christian figures supported slavery. Black writes, “There was also a major tranche of Christendom where slavery was practiced.”[2] . This clearly and clearly shows the failure to understand the moral values in Christianity that are practiced by Christians themselves.
– The long-term impact of slavery. One of the long-term impacts of slavery is social conflict. Black shows what happened in Africa related to this situation. He insists, “Within Africa, there are continuing tensions between the descendants of slave traders and slaves, for example, in both Ghana and Nigeria.”[3] The dark story of the slave trade brings emotional wounds and creates excellent suspicion among the perpetrators and victims and their descendants.
Nigel Biggar
– Slavery is closely associated with the practice of ruthless violence. Biggar shows what the rebels experienced in India: “Some captured rebels were forced to lick the blood from the stained floors of the Bibighar, and Muslims were sewn into pig-skins, before being hanged. Sepoys convicted by drumhead courts-martial were tied to the mouths of cannon and blown to pieces. Whole communities suffered merciless, indiscriminate reprisals, with villages being burned to the ground.”[4] Such cruelty beyond reason and humanity was carried out and supported by the colonizers and policymakers in their countries.
– Slaves are property. Treating slaves as property means that they are not viewed as human beings or living beings. Biggar shows this understanding in his writing: “What specifies it is that the slave’s time and employment are owned, not voluntarily under certain conditions for certain purposes and for a certain length of time, but absolutely. The slave is the slave owner’s disposable property, to be put to whatever use the owner decides and to be bought and sold – and perhaps even killed – at will. That is the pure form or paradigm of slavery, and it is the treatment of another human being as absolutely disposable property that makes it categorically worse than other forms of unjust employment.”[5][6]
– The Deprivation of Human Dignity
Biggar also shows how colonialism and slavery left victims under the power of the colonizers, who treated them worse than domestic animals. Bigar asserts, “By robbing the slave of his freedom, it makes it impossible for him to act through a motive of virtue, and because, by having an unlimited authority over his slaves [the master] insensibly accustoms himself to the want of all moral virtues, and from thence becomes fierce, hasty, severe, choleric, voluptuous, and cruel.” (ch. 2).
Views that counter my thoughts:
Jeremy Black
– The practice of slavery shows a more humane relationship. Black shows a relationship between master and slave that is not always cruel; on the contrary, there is a more humane relationship. Black writes, “Sentimentalism was not the relevant factor when slavery was banned by the Trustees of the new colony of Georgia in 1735. This decision was not so much because of hostility to slavery as due to the desire to base the colony on small-scale agrarian activity rather than aristocratic plantations.”[7]
– Justification of religious teachings
Black also shows that there is a view that slavery is part of the divine plan. Black says, “Some Christian leaders certainly called for fair treatment for slaves, and the latter were allowed to participate in the liturgy. However, in practice, both Islam and Christianity adapted to the widespread slavery of the societies in which they established themselves, and there was a considerable overlap, notably in the idea that slavery was part of the divine plan.”[8]
Nigel Biggar
– Slavery as a protection against more horrific acts of cruelty:
In his book, Biggar shows that there is a view that says that slavery is part of the protection against more horrific crimes. Biggar quotes David Ritchie, says: “As the late-nineteenth-century moral philosopher David Ritchie put it, slavery was a necessary step in the progress of humanity … [since] [i]t mitigated the horrors of primitive warfare, and thus gave some scope for the growth, however feeble, of kindlier sentiments towards the alien and the weak.”[9]
– Slavery as a More Humane Step :
Slavery was seen as more humane because it prevented victims from being slaughtered so that they could have a more decent life. Biggar writes, “Slavery was not only various but ancient. From the earliest times, victors in battle chose to enslave the vanquished rather than slaughter them.”[10]
– Legal protection in maintaining the dignity of slaves.
Biggar also shows a history in which slaves received adequate legal protection. Biggar writes, “Sometimes there were legal or customary constraints on what owners were permitted to do with their human property: the right to ownership was not always absolute. For example, an owner was sometimes forbidden to strike or kill his slave or obliged to grant him his freedom under certain conditions. Moreover, where a failure of proprietorial duty was liable to incur legal penalties, and where those penalties were applied, the slave had an enforceable right.”[11]
Conclusion
After reading both books, I honestly say my previous insight was too narrow. These two books helped me to have a broader perspective. What I mean is how to see the views that support colonialism and slavery, including using the Bible as a basis for thinking. That never occurred to me before. However, if I may say, in the present and the future, it is appropriate that the colonialism and (modern) slavery approach be abandoned altogether. The earth is a shared home God has given us to live in with His other creations. Doing good for all creations can be done in a more humane way and approach than colonizing and exploiting. Shalom.
[1] Jeremy Black, A Brief History of Slavery: A New Global History (London: Robinson, 2011), introduction.
[2] Black, A Brief History of Slavery, chap. 1.
[3] Black, A Brief History of Slavery, chap. 8.
[4] Nigel Biggar, Colonialism: A Moral Reckoning (London: William Collins, 2023), chap. 8.
[5] Biggar, Colonialism, chap. 2.
[6] Biggar, Colonialism, chap. 2.
[7] Black, A Brief History of Slavery, chap. 4.
[8] Black, A Brief History of Slavery, chap. 1.
[9] Biggar, Colonialism, chap. 2.
[10] Biggar, Colonialism, chap. 2.
[11] Biggar, Colonialism, chap. 2.
About the Author
Dinka Utomo
Dinka Nehemia Utomo is an ordained pastor of the Protestant Church in the Western part of Indonesia (Gereja Protestan di Indonesia bagian Barat or GPIB). He has served for more than 15 years. The first five years of his ministry were in the remote area of East Kalimantan, including people from the indigenous Dayak tribe in the small villages in the middle of the forest, frequently reached using small boats down the river. For more than 15 years, Dinka has served several GPIB congregations in several cities in Indonesia. He has always had a passion for equipping Christian families, teaching and guiding them to build equal relations between husband and wife, maintaining commitment, love, and loyalty, creating a healthy and constructive Christian family atmosphere, and rejecting all forms of violence and sexual violence. Dinka's beloved wife, Verra, is also a GPIB pastor. They have two blessed children. Dinka and his wife and children love to spend quality family time, such as lunch or dinner, and vacation to exotic places.6 responses to “Slavery and Colonialism: Pros and Cons”
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Hi Dinka,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the colonization of Indonesia. While aware of the 350-year history, very few of my Indonesian friends ever talked about it and my only experience with the pain of it came via having my nationality misjudged. I certainly understood the connection. You wrote, “When seen in the context of the history of our nation, colonization and slavery constitute a dark section of history that is filled with pain.” In your opinion what has helped your nation heal from that pain? What still needs healing?
Hi Jenny,
Thank you for your very interesting response and question.
What helps our nation heal is the effort to raise awareness of nationalism, fostered from an early age through education in schools. The nation’s history lessons convey that the struggle to achieve independence was carried out through many sacrifices. Our nation also continues to foster a sense of nationalism through national events such as Independence Day and so on. In addition, our nation’s achievements in international events in sports and science also help the process.
Once colonized, the mentality of a nation still needs to be restored, namely the threat of sectarianism and horizontal conflict between tribes. Then another thing is the suspicion experienced by Christians from some other religious communities who view Christianity as part of the colonizers.
Blessings.
You brought out something I missed in my inspectional reading Dinka. “Slavery was seen as more humane because it prevented victims from being slaughtered so that they could have a more decent life.” It almost feels wrong to say that slavery was a good thing at certain parts of history. However, depending on their quality of life it would outweigh being slaughtered. History is complex.
Hi Adam,
When reading the section, my initial impression was slightly justifiable because the reasons were quite reasonable. However, that does not change my standpoint on slavery and colonialism. Whatever form it takes, I still reject it.
Well, you are right; history is complicated.
Blessings.
Dinka, I really enjoyed your post. The history of your country was enlightening and your strong beliefs against slavery and chauvinism were evident and appreciated. In your conclusion you write, “ However, if I may say, in the present and the future, it is appropriate that the colonialism and (modern) slavery approach be abandoned altogether. The earth is a shared home God has given us to live in with His other creations. Doing good for all creations can be done in a more humane way and approach than colonizing and exploiting.” I feel the same way and also feel that we have accepted slavery and colonialism as wicked problems about which we can do nothing. What do you feel called to do to fight against slavery and colonialism?
Dinka,
I appreciate the way you wrote this post. You wrote, ” In addition, people who colonize and enslave are usually also very chauvinistic and racist so that they always consider themselves or their group to be of higher status while others are of lower status; even in the past, there was an assumption that those who were colonized, were not human but were considered animals.” I share your feelings, Dinka.