Across history, slavery has been central to political power. By the 19th century, African rulers dominated the slave trade with the European and Islamic worlds.
In “Ties That Bound,” J. C. Sharman shows how these rulers were empowered by slavery, converting profits from the market for humans into political might.
As demand for African captives grew, a new breed of African bandit slave traders–turned–kings leveraged the increasing returns to seize and hold power, paying off followers and buying weapons. Eventually, there were more enslaved Africans within Africa than in the Americas; African kingdoms were secured and administered by slave soldiers and slave officials.
Engaging in the slave trade became vital for political survival; success for a few powerful leaders meant misery for millions across the continent.
Arguing that slavery is fundamentally political and relational, Sharman examines the effects of Africa’s slavery-centered connections and linkages with the wider world.
