Moral Outrage Against Slavery: A Rhetorical Analysis

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The statement, "Ironically, European exploration of and expansion into the African continent was often motivated by moral outrage against slavery" captures a paradoxical feature of European imperialism in Africa throughout the nineteenth century. While European nations did justify their colonial efforts with humanitarian rhetoric aimed at stopping the transatlantic slave trade, the reality was considerably more complicated. This article critically investigates this assertion, delving into the historical backdrop, motives, and outcomes of European exploration and expansion in Africa throughout the nineteenth century. Motivations for European Exploration and Expansion: European expansion into Africa was largely motivated by economic motives, …show more content…

The colonial ideology of racial superiority and the civilizing mission offered intellectual justification for European rule over African nations. These views strengthened the concept of European cultural and moral superiority, depicting colonialism as a benign undertaking aimed at bringing development and enlightenment to otherwise backward nations. Moral Outrage Against Slavery: Against this backdrop of economic, geopolitical, and cultural causes, moral anger at slavery appears as an apparent contradiction in European expansion into Africa. Linda Colley emphasizes the importance of moral considerations in determining British imperial policies, particularly in relation to the abolitionist movement and the transatlantic slave trade. The abolitionist movement grew in the nineteenth century, fuelled by humanitarian ideals and religious convictions that denounced slavery's intrinsic brutality and injustice. However, it is debatable if moral outrage over slavery had a direct impact on European exploration and development into Africa. While certain European countries used humanitarian language to legitimize their colonial activities, their actions frequently violated these stated moral

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