During slavery, were any goods ever marketed as "slave labor free," similar to how we have "fair trade," "cruelty-free," and other conscience-based marketing today?

by shakerLife
Evan_Th

In the late 1700's and early 1800's, the British abolitionist movement urged boycotts of West Indies sugar in favor of the East Indies sugar, which was produced by free labor. They sold numerous sugar bowls with anti-slavery messages, both to popularize the campaign and to raise money.

While it's been a while since I read about it, I remember hearing that there was also one abortive Abolitionist effort to produce slave-free sugar in the US South, which failed when the previously-free-labor dockyard at Memphis started using slaves.

dirtyhandsam

I think the Quakers realized that simply boycotting, or conscientious consumption, was not cohesively addressing the system of slavery. Alot of what the early abolitionists (Wilberforce) initially did to oppose slavery was ideological. They attacked the slave owner and trader first, and then attacked the product. Boycotts were used, but it was after the others had been done to satisfaction. The Quakers attacked slavery in a more cohesive manner than simply boycotting- including a parliamentary campaign, slave trade petitions, raising public awareness and support, all under the banner of f the Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade- which was effectively the worlds first human rights campaign.

trumpeteur
Jordan42

A version of this question was asked a few months ago. Hope that helps you answer your question.