The Student Room Group

Glasgow university to pay £20m for its part in slave trade

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They're creating a join development research centre between themselves and the University of the West Indies. They're investing in the Caribbean, motivated by, at least in part, the historic links that Glasgow has to the slave trade.

Not all that shocking tbh.
Reply 2
Not sure this counts as reparations per-say but ridiculous either way. It s a fairly basic tennet of our legal system that we should not be responsible for the sins of the father and that goes for institutions as well. They cannot go aorund slashing money for students, teachers and the basic services they provide and then go and spunk $20mn in a fit of moral self indulgence which whilst it might polish their credentials creating this err 'research center' would seem to be a waste of money that could be better spent else where.
Can't wait for the Italians to pay reparations to us for the Roman invasion, for the Mongols to pay Russia and Ukraine for the destruction of Moscow and Kiev by the Mongol Empire and for the Arabians to compensate African countries for the slaves they also held. Silly leftist victimhood structures...
On the face of it it does seem pretty silly. After all, if you go back far enough, pretty much everyone has a slave ancestor. From Russian surfs to the Irish slaves sold to those mean ol' Vikings, slavery is present in every society. :dontknow:
Reply 5
Original post by Napp
Not sure this counts as reparations per-say but ridiculous either way. It s a fairly basic tennet of our legal system that we should not be responsible for the sins of the father and that goes for institutions as well.

The University of Glasgow has been around since 1451. It's the same organisation and, like much of Glasgow, certainly continues to benefit from the fruits of slavery. You might argue that the current members of the university (its graduates and academics) do not bear responsibility for that - and I think that's a point that any reasonable person would agree with - but the institution does still reap the dividends of those old abuses.
Original post by L i b
The University of Glasgow has been around since 1451. It's the same organisation and, like much of Glasgow, certainly continues to benefit from the fruits of slavery. You might argue that the current members of the university (its graduates and academics) do not bear responsibility for that - and I think that's a point that any reasonable person would agree with - but the institution does still reap the dividends of those old abuses.


That's true, but it's also true of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of other institutions, businesses, and all manner of family and charitable trusts. Do they all need to make restitution?
Reply 7
Original post by Snufkin
That's true, but it's also true of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of other institutions, businesses, and all manner of family and charitable trusts. Do they all need to make restitution?

That is true, certainly. Incidentally I'm not saying anyone should be obliged to make restitution in that sense - for one, the real abuse was done to people now long dead - just that we should perhaps be mindful of those advantages.
Reply 8
Original post by L i b
The University of Glasgow has been around since 1451. It's the same organisation and, like much of Glasgow, certainly continues to benefit from the fruits of slavery. You might argue that the current members of the university (its graduates and academics) do not bear responsibility for that - and I think that's a point that any reasonable person would agree with - but the institution does still reap the dividends of those old abuses.


Maybe so but that can hardly be helped can it? And to follow this strand of logic to its ultimate conclusion we are all still benefiting from the institution of slavery in one form or another. However that brings me back to my original point in that we cannot and should not be held accountable for what went on centuries ago. Plus there is also the rather fun debate as to why should anyone feel overly guilty, as it were, any way when quite literally everybody engaged in the slave trade... especially the Africans
Reply 9
Original post by Napp
Maybe so but that can hardly be helped can it? And to follow this strand of logic to its ultimate conclusion we are all still benefiting from the institution of slavery in one form or another. However that brings me back to my original point in that we cannot and should not be held accountable for what went on centuries ago. Plus there is also the rather fun debate as to why should anyone feel overly guilty, as it were, any way when quite literally everybody engaged in the slave trade... especially the Africans

I don't feel guilty, or expect anyone else alive today to feel that way either. However the legacy of slavery does still benefit us and, by the same token, harms a number of other societies.

There is, I think, a legitimate case for those who have benefited today to feel some sort of responsibility to those who are still harmed today. I'm not advocating anything specific here, just suggesting that we recognise these continuing inequities and consider what we can do to help address them.
Reply 10
Original post by L i b
I don't feel guilty, or expect anyone else alive today to feel that way either. However the legacy of slavery does still benefit us and, by the same token, harms a number of other societies.

Might one enquire as to what you mean by 'harms other societies'? I mean historically maybe but i dont see how their existence can be causing any grief in the present day.

There is, I think, a legitimate case for those who have benefited today to feel some sort of responsibility to those who are still harmed today. I'm not advocating anything specific here, just suggesting that we recognise these continuing inequities and consider what we can do to help address them.

Wouldnt that represent the thin end of the wedge though? After all depending on how you wish to quantify this the entire population of Britain (more or less) has benefited from this. Never mind the rather problematic issue, as i noted earlier, that i am struggling to think of any society that didnt practice slavery at some point.

Maybe but wouldnt that presuppose the notion that these societies, i presume you are referring to Africa here?, continue to be harmed by the legacy of slavery? Something i would find somewhat dubious given the impressive time span since it was banned and the somewhat ironic note that certain african societies benefited quite well from it, especially those around the big slaving ports on the western seaboard who benefited mightily from selling their brethren to Europeans and Arabs.
Original post by Napp
Maybe so but that can hardly be helped can it? And to follow this strand of logic to its ultimate conclusion we are all still benefiting from the institution of slavery in one form or another. However that brings me back to my original point in that we cannot and should not be held accountable for what went on centuries ago. Plus there is also the rather fun debate as to why should anyone feel overly guilty, as it were, any way when quite literally everybody engaged in the slave trade... especially the Africans

oh stop it. its not any harm to you at all if they pay it you know.
Reply 12
Original post by Bang Outta Order
oh stop it. its not any harm to you at all if they pay it you know.

Stop what?
Well obviously i'm not going to lose a leg to this but it is nevertheless a moral issue.
Original post by Napp
Stop what?
Well obviously i'm not going to lose a leg to this but it is nevertheless a moral issue.

stop getting in the way of progress because u like to have a war of wits lol
yes obv you're not going to lose a leg...i was more on about how it doesnt economically you, not directly and not even indirectly will you be affected at all so leave them to it. :s-smilie:
Reply 14
Original post by Bang Outta Order
stop getting in the way of progress because u like to have a war of wits lol

An interesting definition of progress?
yes obv you're not going to lose a leg...i was more on about how it doesnt economically you, not directly and not even indirectly will you be affected at all so leave them to it. :s-smilie:

How do you know this?
Original post by napp
an interesting definition of progress?

How do you know this?

whatdoesthefundingandactionsofauniversitythatyoudontgotoinacountrywhereyoudontevenlivehavetodowithyou?
Reply 16
Original post by Bang Outta Order
whatdoesthefundingandactionsofauniversitythatyoudontgotoinacountrywhereyoudontevenlivehavetodowithyou?

There is not a hope in hell i am going to try and decipher that..-.-
Original post by Napp
There is not a hope in hell i am going to try and decipher that..-.-

LOL think my spacebar is broken mate :s-smilie:


no but seriously it's not gonna affect you
Right…
I am partially Lancastrian. Lancashire was a target for the Norman (French in modern-day terms) Harrowing of the North. I am also partially Irish, and am thus owed reperations from Iceland and Norway (Viking invasions), Scotland (Plantation), Holland (Battle of the Boyne) and England (various invasions of Ireland). As well as all this, I have Finnish ancestry and, therefore, the governments of Sweden (started 3 crusades against Finland), the maakuntat (counties) of Åland/Ahvenanmaa, Turku ja Pori and Pohjanmaa (Swedish-speaking population - sins of the father and all that), Russia (held Finland as a colony/invaded us many times) and so on.

This is fun - now can I get my £20m?
Reply 19
Original post by Bang Outta Order
LOL think my spacebar is broken mate :s-smilie:


no but seriously it's not gonna affect you

Smooth aha
It isnt but thats not really the point? something doesnt have to directly effect you for you to to be able to hold an opinion on it. If it did, this forum would be dead as a doornail.

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