论跨大西洋奴隶贸易的废除及其原因

The Abolition of Transatlantic Slave Trade and Its Causes

19世纪,有着400多年历史的跨大西洋奴隶贸易在国际社会通过双边和多边条约被废除。英国议会1807年3月25日通过的《废除黑奴贸易法》被公认为国际社会废除奴隶贸易事业的开端。跨大西洋奴隶贸易的废除有着多方面的原因,既有经济及政治因素,也有人道主义或道德因素(由宗教团体发起和推动的大众废奴运动起到特殊重要作用),同时还有黑人奴隶反抗和起义的因素。废除奴隶贸易是国际社会第一个重大的人道成就。然而,作为跨大西洋奴隶贸易的遗毒——种族主义、种族歧视在世界各国远未消除,当今社会还广泛存在着对非洲后裔的系统性种族歧视。因此,打击种族主义、种族歧视、仇外心理和相关不容忍行为以及保护其受害人,仍然是国际社会和世界各国的高度优先事项。

In the 19th century,the transatlantic slave trade with a history of more than 400 years was formally abolished by the international community through bilateral and multilateral treaties.The Act of Abolition of the Negro Slave Trade passed by British Parliament on 25 March 1807 is generally regarded as the beginning of the cause of abolishing slave trade.There are many reasons for the abolition of transatlantic slave trade,including economic and political factors,humanitarian or moral factors(the mass abolitionist movement initiated and promoted by religious groups played a particularly important role),as well as the resistance and uprising of black slaves.The abolition of the slave trade was the first major humanitarian achievement of the international community.However,as the evil legacy of the transatlantic slave trade,racism and racial discrimination are far from being eliminated in all countries of the world,and systematic racial discrimination against people of African descent still exists widely in today’s society.Therefore,the fight against racism,racial discrimination,xenophobia and related intolerance,and the protection of the victims thereof,remain a high priority for the international community and countries around the world.