Slavery_During_the_Enlightenment_and_French_Revolution

Slavery During the Enlightenment and French Revolution During the 1700s, slavery became an issue during the Enlightenment era all the way to the French Revolution time period. There are certain documents that portray actions of slavery. For example, in document 1, “Everything concurs to let humans enjoy dignity, which is natural. Everything tells us that we can not take away from a person that natural dignity which is liberty.” This quote was written by, Louis de Jaucourt, which is in a slave’s point of view. This quote discusses that humans should be able to have their own dignity and no one has the right to take that away from them. Equality comes into this matter, where everyone should have equal rights. There are certain documents during the French Revolution written by members of the National Assembly, which discusses examples of the rising of problems with slavery in an economic, political, and social environment. For example, document 9 quotes: “I demand to know how the twenty White people here from the colonies can be said to represent the people of color from whom they have received no authority. I demand to know by what right the 23,000 White voters have refused their fellow citizens the right to name representatives and have arrogated to themselves the right to choose representatives for those whom they have excluded.” This quote was written by a member of the National Assembly, it discusses a political outlaw and how white voters couldn’t give the people of color the right to name representatives or choose them. Even though white voters claim that the people of color are their fellow citizens, but yet still don’t give them the equal full rights of voting. A delegate opposing the National assembly, quotes on how economic influence would decrease after the abolition of slavery. Document 10: “The abolition of slavery and the slave trade would mean the loss of our colonies; the loss of the colonies would strike a mortal blow to commerce, and the ruin of commerce would result in stagnation for the merchant marine, agriculture, and the arts. Five million French citizens exist only by the trade they bring. The colonies bring in an annual income of more than 200 million lives.” People were more concerned on what would happen to them instead of thinking about the rights of the slaves, which would supposedly “impact” the economy as well. During the French Revolution, people relied on slave trade in order for agriculture to take action. Without slave trade the economy would decrease tremendously. Social order was important during the Enlightenment and in this quote, the National Assembly has a different approach. Document 15: “I am here to defend the Declaration of the Rights of Man. Let the colonies perish if the planters, with their threats, try to force us to legislate in their private interest! I declare in the name of the Assembly, in the name of those members of the Assembly who do not want to destroy the Constitution, I declare in the name of the entire nation, which wishes to be free, that we will not sacrifice to the colonial deputies. I say that any other course, whatever it might be, is preferable.” This quote states that there really shouldn’t be a social order and that according to the Constitution, everyone has their freedom of rights. Slaves should be able to live freely without fear everyday. Ofcoarse this effects the social order because now everyone has the same rights and are equal to one another. During the time of the French Revolution, the National Assembly had adopted the “Declaration of the Right Man” (August 27, 1789), which begins: “All men are born free and remain free and equal in rights.” However, the resolution of slavery, would perhaps affect the economic, political and social order. The rising of issues occurred with the French colonies that were used to a certain order and balance in their lifestyle. After the equality rights of the slaves were passed out, the colonies were concerned on what would happen to their economy, government, and there would no longer be a social order. After equal rights were passed out, the lifestyle of the whites and colored people would change.