Most revolutions don't really succeed. A few at the top get ousted, but more rise up to take their place pretty quickly. Does life get better for the general population? A little, maybe, for a while, but history tends to move in circles. I agree the liberal left, far right and religions have much in common.
I'm the absolute dictator in Shineyland - when I'm given permission by Mrs Shiney and the local cats.
More slavery too @KT53. Portugal, supported by the Catholic church, sold 6 million Africans from what is now Angola to work in their Brazilian colony's plantations between 1526 and 1867, long before the French and Brits joined in. Slavery was abolished in the UK in 1833. People also don't know, or forget, that Barbary coast slavers raided te coasts of Spain, France and the UK for centuries, taking me, women and children for sale to the Ottoman empire. It finally stopped in 1816.
Everybody did but most of us have outgrown it. Still endemic in some parts of Africa tho and the Arab countries, especially the rich oil states, have kafala, a system of forced labour for immigrants which amounts to slavery.
And while he's at it, maybe he could sort out human rights in China. It's easy to stand up in the UK and make accusations against the inhabitants because we are ranked as one of the most tolerant nations in existence. It does leave room for an awful lot of soap boxes though.
It was only made illegal to own a slave in england in April 2010, according to a Qi I once saw. I think they mentioned it was banned throughout the rest of the British empire from 1834. They also suggested that many more people are enslaved today than there ever had been.
@Thevictorian Slavery in the UK certainly hasn't ended, despite it being illegal. When I worked for DWP we had a case where a large number of people, about 20 if I remember correctly, had been freed from a traveller camp. Many had been in there for years. We processed their claims for benefits. Thankfully I wasn't involved in the interview process but many had severe learning difficulties and could only provide the most basis information about their history. The main victims now seem to be those coming into the country illegally.
Slavery in any form is unacceptable to any right thinking person but as many have pointed out, it does still exist worldwide. Financial reparation for the actions of previous generations is always a sore point and many countries would need to agree to do it and agree how and who should receive it. This would also include those African countries where the tribal chiefs cooperated with the slave traders to the detriment of their own people. I like Lenny Henry as a comedian and whilst I have no idea of his political views, I am sure he is aware of this issue. Similarly for Dawn French - a good comedian and no doubt aware of atrocities committed by both sides in Gaza.
@Philippa Nobody should be held accountable for the actions of previous generations. Where would it stop? The Romans enslaved people throughout their empire, including the British Isles. Should we be demanding reparation from Italy? Just a single example. Throughout millennia, victors in wars took slaves from the losing side. I'm not saying it was right, just that that's the way is was.
I don't think current or future generations should be made to pay compensation for what their predecessors did. Standards, understanding, empathies change as we evolve. One that doesn't seem to have evolved much tho is education. Can't tell you how many people I've met who think that the slave trade to north America and the West Indies is all there ever was and don't know that it is endemic in Africa. Huge fortunes were made by Africans selling fellow Africans from other tribes to the middle east for centuries. The Portuguese dived in in the 16th century and sent 6 million from Angola to Brazil where their life expectancy was just 7 years. The Brits, USA and West Indies were just a lucrative new market. Dr Livingstone went to what is now Zambia and Zimbabwe to stop the slave trade in central Africa where tribes were capturing and marching slaves off to the east coast to sell to the middle east. Dar-es-Salaam in modern day Tanzania was built to facilitate this trade. Anyway, my Whaat for today is the news that a 13 year enquiry, costing millions and involving up to 200 police officers investigating the behaviour of South Yorkshire police during and after the Hillsborough disaster has ended and finds the South Yorks police officers involved were negligent and then lied about it. It was in 1989, over 36 years ago, so why was this enquiry into police conduct so late to start and why do they conclude that the officers concerned are untouchable because they have retired? They were at best incompetent and at worst liars and decievers who blamed everyone except their own action and inaction. They shoud have their police pensions withdrawn at the very least.
I don't know why we bother having enquiries in this country - all they do is cost a fortune, take far too long, and nobody is ever held properly accountable. Think of the politicians, including Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell for example, that would be in jail if there was true accountability. The Grenfell enquiry is another prime example and that one in particular makes me absolutely furious - not only for those directly involved with that building, but for those involved in the fall out with similar buildings all over the country... many of those are facing huge bills purely for fire safety cover and still no hope of proper resolution. Consecutive governments seem to be absolutely excellent at shafting us one way or another, often by selling assets on that they've had built and seemingly unaware of pending problems that appear at a later date? Aye, right... pull the other one, it's got bells on it.
I read earlier this week the police are considering bringing charges of corporate manslaughter against Fujitsu due to suicides that occurred as a result of their actions during the Horizon scandal. It will never happen. No one will be held accountable. And to cap it all, the PO has renewed its contract with the company! That's a real kick in the teeth for those still waiting for their compensation.
Ed Davey was involved in that mess, yet he continues to bounce around on the political stage like Tigger on acid, slinging mud at other folks as though his poo doesn't stink!
