The information in the passage suggests that Eltis and Drescher agree that

Sangwook on May 27, 2014

Help

Could you please illustrate which parts on the passage imply that Eltis and Drescher agree that people of all classes in Britain supported the abolition of slavery? Thanks,

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Melody on May 31, 2014

The entirety of the second paragraph shows that Drescher believes that people of all classes in Britain supported the abolition of slavery.

For example, let's look at lines 12-15: "Drescher has reconstructed the populist characteristics of British abolitionism, which appears to have cut across lines of class, party, and religion." These lines demonstrate that Drescher believes that abolitionism cuts across class lines, i.e. showing that Drescher agrees that people of all classes in Britain supported the abolition of slavery.

This idea is furthered in lines 50-54: "Eltis concludes that in an economy that had begun to rely on voluntary labor to satisfy such needs, forced labor necessarily began to appear both inappropriate and counterproductive to employers." These lines demonstrate that not just the lower class, but also the upper class no longer saw the benefits of slavery (i.e. forced labor).

Lines 58-62, "British leaders became committed to colonial labor reform only when they became convinced, for reasons other than those cited by Williams, that free labor was more beneficial to the imperial economy," reiterate Eltis's belief that people of all classes in Britain supported the abolition of slavery by explaining that even the British leaders, at some point, became committed to colonial labor reform.

Hope that was helpful! Let us know if you have any other questions.

Sangwook on May 31, 2014

Hmm...it's pretty tough and esoteric question.
Thanks anyhow!!!^^

fady on July 28, 2021

but where does Eltis indicate that people in the lower class opposed slavery? are we to assume that they do?