In the chapter titled “Legitimate Trade, Democracy, and the Slave Trade”, author M. Alpha Bah informs readers on the political and social factors of Africa which in some ways aided internal slavery, which later aided the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.
After reading this section, I’ve been left with a few questions. If Portuguese natives, lancados, found the beauty in African culture, enough to settle along its’ coast, marry its women and adopt its customs, why couldn’t all Europeans acknowledge and respect the beauty of Africa? I am also curious as to the baptism of the African slaves upon their entrance into the New World. Why would the Catholic Church demand that European slave traders baptize them? If Africans were deemed ‘inhumane’ enough to be forced into bondage, why should the ‘guarantee of their salvations’ even matter? Did this signify European guilt of their exploitation of human beings?
Katika sura yenye kichwa "Ufanyabiashara Halali, Demokrasia, na Biashara ya Watumwa," mwandishi M. Alpha Bah anawajulisha wasomaji juu ya mambo ya kisiasa na kijamii ya Afrika ambayo kwa njia fulani yalisaidia utumwa wa ndani, ambayo baadaye ilisaidia Biashara ya Watumwa ya Trans-Atlantic. Baada ya kusoma sehemu hii, nimebaki na maswali machache. Ikiwa Waportuga wenyeji, lancados, walipata uzuri katika utamaduni wa Afrika, wa kutosha kuishi kando ya pwani yake, kuoa wanawake wake na kupitisha desturi zake, kwa nini Wazungu wote hawakuweza kutambua na kuheshimu uzuri wa Afrika? Pia, ni muhimu kujua jinsi watumwa wa Kiafrika walivyojiweka wakfu kwa Mungu walipoingia katika nchi mpya. Kwa nini Kanisa Katoliki likataka wafanyabiashara wa watumwa wa Ulaya wabatizwe? Ikiwa Waafrika walionwa kuwa "wasio wa kibinadamu" vya kutosha kulazimishwa kuwa watumwa, kwa nini "uhakikisho wa wokovu wao" uwe na maana hata kidogo? Je, hilo lilimaanisha kwamba Wazungu walikuwa na hatia ya kuwatumia vibaya wanadamu?