Slave Revolts and the Abolition of Slavery in the British Empire

Abstract

The abolition of slavery in the British empire is often attributed to the actions of the abolitionist movement. The part played by the slaves themselves is typically sidelined. What role did the slaves play in abolition? This article shows that slave revolts in the Caribbean helped shift the parliamentary vote in favor of abolition. Members of parliament representing English and Welsh constituencies that were more affected by the revolts, in the sense that residents owned more slaves in colonies with revolts, were more likely to vote in favor of abolition. This variation in exposure is plausibly exogenous and the results are robust to using an IV strategy. The evidence supports an economic mechanism for this result: revolts reduced the value of Caribbean assets, shifting the support of slave-owning elites towards abolition. The article discusses and rules out alternative interpretations of these results. Caribbean slaves were active agents in their own emancipation.