French law abolishing slavery in all French colonies
The
Law of 4 February 1794
(16 pluviose year II) was a decree of the
French
National Convention
which abolished
slavery
in all
French colonies
.
Background
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In 1789, the abolitionist
Amis des noirs
society was established in France. It was more radical than similar organizations
in Britain
, seeking to abolish slavery rather than solely the slave trade. It ultimately proved unable to accomplish this goal and is perceived by modern historians as ineffective.
At the beginning of the French Revolution, a measure to abolish slavery was proposed and then dropped due to opposition from the nobility.
In 1790, the National Assembly affirmed its support for the institution of slavery.
The colony of
Saint-Domingue
in particular was important to the
French economy
.
A
1791 slave revolt
took control of large parts of the colony and by 1793 Britain was threatening to invade the colony while Spain was already waging an undeclared war from
Santo Domingo
.
These internal and external struggles led to a progressive abolition of slavery in Saint-Domingue. In a first time, beginning during the destruction of the Cap, in June 1793, only the slaves who would fight on the side of the commissioners Sonthonax and Polverel could be freed. Then, on 27 August 1793, Polverel freed also, in the West province, the slaves who worked on the plantations where there were no more masters. On 29 August 1793, Sonthonax abolished slavery in the North province. Polverel freed progressively other slaves in the two others provinces of the West and the South, and, on 31 October 1793, he proclaimed slavery abolished in them too.
[8]
This was a strategic measure to help strengthen the French Republican cause against the Spanish and British, as slavery was legal in the overseas colonies of both nations.
This proclamation was not universally well-received even among the enslaved population of Saint-Domingue;
Toussaint Louverture
, a former slave who was fighting with the Spanish at the time, doubted its sincerity.
Louverture then began pressuring the Spanish to issue a similar proclamation.
Enactment
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Sonthonax sent delegates back to Paris to advocate for emancipation.
While the delegates were briefly arrested by opponents of Sonthonax, they were well-received by the
National Convention
, where they justified the earlier proclamation on both practical and moral grounds.
After their speeches,
Jean-Francois Delacroix
exclaimed that the Convention should not "dishonor itself by a long discussion",
and so the Convention passed the law by
acclamation
.
The law read as follows:
The National Convention declares slavery abolished throughout all the colonies: consequently, it decrees that all men, without distinction of color, domiciliated in the colonies, are French citizens, and entitled to the enjoyment of all the rights secured by the Constitution.
Referred to the Committee of Public Safety for it to report immediately on the measures to be taken for the execution of the decree.
Effect
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In French colonies
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After passing the law, the
Committee of Public Safety
sent 1,200 troops to France's Caribbean colonies to enforce it.
They recaptured
Guadeloupe
from a coalition of British and French royalists and used that as a base from which to retake other islands.
The law did succeed in winning over Black support for the French Republican cause, which greatly benefited them.
The law may have influenced Louverture to switch sides from the Spanish to the French Republic, though it is unclear whether he knew of the law early enough for it to have influenced his decision.
Implementation of the law did not always create a change in material conditions. In Guadeloupe, the former slaves were effectively restricted to plantations by laws against
vagrancy
and were not given the pay they were legally owed.
In
Saint-Domingue
, as well, the Republicans attempted to maintain plantations, which caused conflict with the newly freed slaves, who wanted autonomy.
In other colonies
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The French colonists spread copies of the law, as well as other revolutionary documents such as the
Declaration of the Rights of Man
, throughout the region.
This helped to spark slave revolts in Venezuela, Brazil, Jamaica and Cuba.
Revocation
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The
Coup of 18 Brumaire
and the rise to power of
Napoleon
led to a reversal of French interests. Reinstating slavery would placate the British and American governments, who were worried that a free Black-run state would inspire slave revolts,
as well as French colonial property owners, including his
wife
's family, who wanted control back.
Additionally, Napoleon wanted to regain control over Saint-Domingue, which was effectively independent under the leadership of Louverture.
Thus, the
Law of 20 May 1802
reinstated slavery and the slave trade.
Legacy
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It is sometimes considered the first abolition of slavery in history.
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References
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Bibliography
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