In the middle of the seventeenth century, the sugar revolution began in the West Indies. The change from diversified agriculture on smaller landholdings to sugar in large scale plantations created a need for labour that the existing population on the islands could not fill adequately. The native Neo-Indian population had dwindled significantly by this time, so the settlers considered indentured labourers from Europe. English and French indentured labourers came to the West Indies in droves, but the terms of the contract and compensation were discouraging. Disease, undernourishment and ill treatment meant that there was a constant need for replacement of lost manpower, but it was impossible to keep up with the demand1. This compelled them to focus on the slave trade from Africa, which was a common practice at this time. In 1833, the campaign for the abolition of slavery was successful. This again resulted in a labour shortage. The British Emancipation Act allowed for the ex-slaves to work on the plantations for wages in some places, but this was not adequate to sustain demand. The Europeans had to now search for a new, reliable source of cheap labour and turned to indentureship. In 1838, the first Indians were brought to the West Indies from Calcutta. Some like Joseph Beaumont2 and Lord John Russell3 termed indenture ‘the new slavery’, as there were many similarities. However, there were also some big differences.
Slavery resulted in an influx of blacks into the islands. African slaves were chosen because they were accustomed to the climate, diseases and food, and they were strong and vigorous. African slavery did not come about due to the sugar revolution. It was already alive and well long before. Some parents who were unable to take care of their children placed them as domestic workers in affluent households where they would be well fed. Others entered themselves into slavery to pay off their debts. Some were enslaved as punishment for various crimes like...