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When Thomas Harding discovered that his mother’s family had made money from plantations worked by enslaved people, what began as an interrogation into the choices of his ancestors soon became a quest to learn more about Britain’s role in slavery. It was a history that he knew surprisingly little about – the myth that we are often taught in schools is that Britain’s role in slavery was as the abolisher, but the reality is much more sinister.
In WHITE DEBT, Harding vividly brings to life the story of the uprising by enslaved people that took place in the British colony of Demerara (now Guyana) in the Caribbean in 1823. It started on a small sugar plantation called ‘Success’ and grew to become a key trigger in the abolition of slavery across the empire. We see the uprising through the eyes of four people: the enslaved man Jack Gladstone, the missionary John Smith, the colonist John Cheveley, and the politician and slaveholder John Gladstone, father of a future prime minister. Charting the lead-up to the uprising right through to the courtroom drama that came about as a consequence, through this one event we see the true impact of years of unimaginable cruelty and incredible courage writ large.
Captivating, moving and meditative, WHITE DEBT combines a searing personal quest with a deep investigation of a shared history that is little discussed amongst White people. It offers a powerful rebuttal of the national amnesia that masks the role of the British in this devastating period, and asks vital questions about the legacy we have been left with – cultural, political and moral – and whether future generations of those who benefited from slavery need to acknowledge and take responsibility for the White Debt.
In WHITE DEBT, Harding vividly brings to life the story of the uprising by enslaved people that took place in the British colony of Demerara (now Guyana) in the Caribbean in 1823. It started on a small sugar plantation called ‘Success’ and grew to become a key trigger in the abolition of slavery across the empire. We see the uprising through the eyes of four people: the enslaved man Jack Gladstone, the missionary John Smith, the colonist John Cheveley, and the politician and slaveholder John Gladstone, father of a future prime minister. Charting the lead-up to the uprising right through to the courtroom drama that came about as a consequence, through this one event we see the true impact of years of unimaginable cruelty and incredible courage writ large.
Captivating, moving and meditative, WHITE DEBT combines a searing personal quest with a deep investigation of a shared history that is little discussed amongst White people. It offers a powerful rebuttal of the national amnesia that masks the role of the British in this devastating period, and asks vital questions about the legacy we have been left with – cultural, political and moral – and whether future generations of those who benefited from slavery need to acknowledge and take responsibility for the White Debt.
392 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 6, 2022
25 people are currently reading
762 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Harding
39 books201 followersThomas Harding is a bestselling author whose books have been translated into more than 20 languages. He has written for the Sunday Times, the Washington Post and the Guardian, among other publications.
He is the author of HANNS AND RUDOLF which won the JQ-Wingate Prize for Non-Fiction; THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE, which was shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award; and BLOOD ON THE PAGE which won the Crime Writers’ Association “Golden Dagger Award for Non-Fiction”. For all his books, reviews and updates, go to thomasharding.com and follow him on X/ twitter @thomasharding
He is the author of HANNS AND RUDOLF which won the JQ-Wingate Prize for Non-Fiction; THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE, which was shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award; and BLOOD ON THE PAGE which won the Crime Writers’ Association “Golden Dagger Award for Non-Fiction”. For all his books, reviews and updates, go to thomasharding.com and follow him on X/ twitter @thomasharding
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
June 9, 2022
This is the best book I have read for the year. I am British, second generation. My parents both from Guyana and migrated to the UK in the 60's. I devoured this book, as it spoke to my history. I have read other books on slavery but never anything specific to Guyana, and to my shame had never heard of the central figures in the Guyana uprising. These are the people to be put on plinths and revered. (Note: if you want to learn your history, sadly the onus is on you to find it for yourself, as this is not taught in schools).
Far from being a dense history book, this book is accessible and readable. In fact, it reads like a novel, with chapters told from the point of view of each of the key characters.
Standout moments to me in the book:
- The Pastor's description of his first sightings of Demerara is absolutely striking. I could conjure up the image. The shoreline is completely industrialised - not only merchant traffic but 18 cannons, a lighthouse and signal station. The Slave Owners mean to defend and protect the commodities produced by Black bodies. The Black bodies in themselves, deemed as commodities. A devastatingly powerful image.
- The tactics, strategy and planning employed by the leader of the uprising, this, when the Slave Masters deemed them as ignorant and subhuman. As I read, I felt exhilaration and pride in my forefathers.
- The role that christianity and bible scriptures played in the tactics of the uprising - no spoilers - I will let you discover the brilliant ingenuity of the enslaved (christianity needs a mention here - as it is also a legacy of slavery - its deeply entrenched and central in black communities today).
- The author interrogating himself and asking what reparations can be made.
I could not put this book down. A five star read that I will be sure to read again. I have also recommended the book to family members.
Far from being a dense history book, this book is accessible and readable. In fact, it reads like a novel, with chapters told from the point of view of each of the key characters.
Standout moments to me in the book:
- The Pastor's description of his first sightings of Demerara is absolutely striking. I could conjure up the image. The shoreline is completely industrialised - not only merchant traffic but 18 cannons, a lighthouse and signal station. The Slave Owners mean to defend and protect the commodities produced by Black bodies. The Black bodies in themselves, deemed as commodities. A devastatingly powerful image.
- The tactics, strategy and planning employed by the leader of the uprising, this, when the Slave Masters deemed them as ignorant and subhuman. As I read, I felt exhilaration and pride in my forefathers.
- The role that christianity and bible scriptures played in the tactics of the uprising - no spoilers - I will let you discover the brilliant ingenuity of the enslaved (christianity needs a mention here - as it is also a legacy of slavery - its deeply entrenched and central in black communities today).
- The author interrogating himself and asking what reparations can be made.
I could not put this book down. A five star read that I will be sure to read again. I have also recommended the book to family members.
November 11, 2022
There’s been so much written about slavery and its legacy over recent years that it’s hard to believe that you could learn anything new. And yet, I found Thomas Harding’s book truly shocking. By concentrating on the specific area of Demerrera and the slave uprising there in the 1820s, Harding gives us a novelistic view of the slave conditions at the time, the events leading to the uprising and, in particular, the violent suppression of the revolt and the trials and executions that followed. One fact new to me was the way that Christian missionaries were blamed by the slave owners and colonial administration for encouraging the slaves to revolt.
Harding also exposes the myth that slavery ended when Britain abolished the slave trade, pointing out that slavery in the colonies, especially Demerrera, continued in its brutal way for many years after. He also personalises it by referring to his own family having benefitted from slavery through their involvement in the tobacco trade and debates the need for reparations.
Harding also exposes the myth that slavery ended when Britain abolished the slave trade, pointing out that slavery in the colonies, especially Demerrera, continued in its brutal way for many years after. He also personalises it by referring to his own family having benefitted from slavery through their involvement in the tobacco trade and debates the need for reparations.
March 7, 2024
White people talking about reparations. We 👏🏼 love 👏🏼 to 👏🏼 see 👏🏼 it 👏🏼
Pet peeve capitalising “white” when talking about yt peeps (annoying but he gave reasons so FINE)
Story was dramatic and thrilling (in the kind of way a revolt by enslaved people can be)??? Knew nothing about it because classic Britain covering up their classic crimes. SUPER glad I now know about it can’t wait to ram it down everyone’s throats at the pub!!!!!!
Pet peeve capitalising “white” when talking about yt peeps (annoying but he gave reasons so FINE)
Story was dramatic and thrilling (in the kind of way a revolt by enslaved people can be)??? Knew nothing about it because classic Britain covering up their classic crimes. SUPER glad I now know about it can’t wait to ram it down everyone’s throats at the pub!!!!!!
May 29, 2022
Trigger warnings: slavery, torture, racism, racial slurs, death, capital punishment, death of a parent, death of a loved one, mentions of Holocaust, antisemitism, colonialism.
I knew, within about two chapters of starting this, that it was going to be a 5 star read for me. The way Harding deals with the history of Guyana and its ongoing legacy, alternating between the story of the Demerara Uprising and his own "oh shit, my family were involved in enslavement. How do I process this and make reparations?" experiences, was extremely effective.
I expected this to be a very dense kind of a history book, and instead it was extremely readable and very relatable and modern a lot of the time, and I absolutely loved it.
I knew, within about two chapters of starting this, that it was going to be a 5 star read for me. The way Harding deals with the history of Guyana and its ongoing legacy, alternating between the story of the Demerara Uprising and his own "oh shit, my family were involved in enslavement. How do I process this and make reparations?" experiences, was extremely effective.
I expected this to be a very dense kind of a history book, and instead it was extremely readable and very relatable and modern a lot of the time, and I absolutely loved it.
November 28, 2023
I read Emília Viotti da Costa's "Crowns of Glory, Tears of Blood" some time ago, which outlines the 1823 Demerara Rebellion well. But, we mostly see events from the testimonies of the Colonial Administration and the Enslavers.
In "White Debt", Thomas Harding not only gives us a view from the perspective of the Enslaved but also considers the impact of the legacy of the British Slave system in modern times. In addition, the author highlights his family's connection to the Slave Trade and considers discussions on reparations.
Overall, this book is well worth reading.
In "White Debt", Thomas Harding not only gives us a view from the perspective of the Enslaved but also considers the impact of the legacy of the British Slave system in modern times. In addition, the author highlights his family's connection to the Slave Trade and considers discussions on reparations.
Overall, this book is well worth reading.
January 29, 2023
Powerful mix of history and personal reflection
Harding tells the history of the 1823 Demerara Uprising in an engaging manner. He focuses on a handful individuals who played major roles in the uprising. Each chapter ends with a personal reflection on the legacy of slavery today and the need for reparations.
Harding tells the history of the 1823 Demerara Uprising in an engaging manner. He focuses on a handful individuals who played major roles in the uprising. Each chapter ends with a personal reflection on the legacy of slavery today and the need for reparations.
October 31, 2023
Vol van leugens, bot en grof
Zul je mijn verhaal herschrijven
Trap me neer in smerig stof
Maar uit dat stof zal ik herrijzen
(Maya Angelou)
Dit is niet het eerste boek over slavernij, kolonisatie en de gevolgen van jarenlange onderdrukking. Talloze onderzoeken zijn te vinden over dit onderwerp, doctoraatstudies en universitaire analyses. Veel bekende romans gaan ook over dit onderwerp. De ondergrondse spoorweg van Colson Whitehead, Bakhita van de Franse schrijfster Véronique Olmi en wie las nooit De Negerhut van oom Tom van Harriet Beecher Stowe. Het boek dat hier voor mij ligt heeft toch een andere insteek. De auteur gaat namelijk op zoek naar antwoorden over het hoe en waarom nadat hij ontdekt dat zijn familie langs moederskant voordeel heeft gehaald uit slavernij. Zijn grote vraag: “Waarom is het voor Witte mensen nog steeds zo moeilijk om te accepteren dat ze nog altijd een geweldige schuld hebben tegenover de slachtoffers van het slavernijsysteem en hun nabestaanden.”.
De aanleiding tot het schrijven was de dood van de Amerikaanse George Floyd in 2020 en het ontstaan van Black lifes matter dat hem deed nadenken over de Britse houding vandaag tegenover de koloniale slavernij. Alhoewel dit boek zich uitsluitend richt op Groot-Brittannië en hun kolonies in West-Indië kunnen dezelfde vragen gesteld worden aan Nederlanders over Suriname en Curaçao en over ons eigen koloniaal gedrag in Congo. Een tweede aanleiding was het feit dat hij van de Duitse overheid genoegdoening krijgt voor het leed dat zijn Joodse familie langs vaderskant was aangedaan. Citaat: ‘Dus als ik bereid was mezelf via mijn vaders familie als slachtoffer te zien en herstelbetalingen van de Duitse overheid te ontvangen, dan was ik ook verplicht meer te weten te komen over de rol van Groot-Brittannië in de slavernij.’ Einde citaat. Hij focust vooral op de opstand op Demerara, het huidige Guyana.
Bijna tweehonderd jaar na de afschaffing zijn de rechtstreekse gevolgen van de slavernij nog steeds zichtbaar in de Witte suprematie en de economische ongelijkheid bij mensen van kleur. Thomas Harding bezoekt nazaten van zowel slaafgemaakte mensen als slaveneigenaars maar ook mensen zoals zijn eigen familie die beter werden door het slavernij systeem. Het standpunt van de meeste Britse Witte mensen is typerend voor de ‘wij zijn niet verantwoordelijk’ mentaliteit. Er duiken in zulke gesprekken nogal lastige vragen op. Hoever in de geschiedenis moet je teruggaan bij het zoeken van de rol van de maatschappij in de slavernij? Kan je het leed dat slaafgemaakte mensen werd aangedaan afwegen tegen ander leed waardoor de mensheid werd getroffen? Het onderzoek is moeilijk doordat er een ongelijke verhouding van archiefmateriaal is. Bijna alles wat er werd opgetekend gaat over de machthebbers en de rijken. Er bestaan talloze afbeeldingen van de Witte mensen in zijn onderzoek maar geen enkele van de Zwarte mensen. Toch zitten er in het boek afbeeldingen van de voornaamste opstandelingen. Die liet Hartding zelf tekenen door kunstenaars in Guyana naar de beschrijvingen in de archieven, dagboeken en processtukken die met de opstand op Demerara te maken hadden.
De aanloop tot het verzet, de opstand zelf en de procesvoering erna vertelt Thomas Harding aan de hand van vier personages. Jack Gladstone, een slaafgemaakte man. John Smith, een zendeling. Chevely, een kolonist en John Gladstone, een politicus en slaveneigenaar. De eigenaars van plantages en dus ook van de slaafgemaakte mannen en vrouwen woonden zelden op de plantages zelf. Ze woonden in Londen of Liverpool en lieten de leiding over aan beheerders. Het hoogste doel was winst maken voor de eigenaars en wreedheid was één van de toegepaste middelen om dat doel te bereiken. Hoe het er op de plantages aan toe ging werd in Groot-Brittannië vooral bekend door de berichten die de zendelingen naar hun Genootschappen stuurde. De zendelingen waren niet erg geliefd bij de planters. Ze waren bang dat het preken en het lesgeven in de kerken te veel kennis zou brengen met onrust tot gevolg. In Londen ijveren de abolitionisten voor afschaffing van het systeem wat op enorme tegenstand stuit bij slaveneigenaars als John Gladstone. Uiteindelijk wordt er een wet gestemd die de behandeling van de slaafgemaakte mannen en vrouwen moet verbeteren. Het niet uitvoeren van die wet door de gouverneur in Georgetown, én het verbod nog langer de kerkdiensten bij te wonen, zijn de lont in het kruitvat. Onder leiding van Jack Gladstone begint de opstand op Demerara. Nieuws, brieven en kranten deden er weken over om Londen of Demerara te bereiken waardoor er heel vaak verkeerde beslissingen werden genomen. Het zijn vooral de dagboeken en brieven die Jane, de vrouw van de zendeling John Smith, aan het Zendelingengenootschap in Londen bezorgt die er voor zorgen dat de kranten de manier van werken in de kolonies aan de kaak stellen. En alhoewel de opstand in Demerara niet rechtstreeks tot de afschaffing van het slavensysteem heeft geleid, is ze er wel de oorzaak van dat de maatschappij stilaan klaar was voor verandering.
Om een duidelijk beeld te krijgen reist de auteur naar Guyana om na te gaan hoe men daar vandaag tegen het slavernijverleden aankijkt. Het wordt hem al snel duidelijk dat het voor de nazaten van de slaafgemaakte mensen belangrijk is dat de waarheid wordt gekend. ‘Zonder dat de schuldigen of hun nazaten zich niet verontschuldigen bij de slachtoffers en hun nazaten is men schuldig aan het verzwijgen. Daarom is het ook van belang om de namen te noemen van de opstandelingen in Demerara’. Hij ziet er de straten met namen van slaveneigenaars, bezoekt de plantages en woont een Maafa bij, de “grote ramp” in het Swahili, ter nagedachtenis aan de Atlantische slavenhandel. Op de plantages werken vandaag voor het overgrote deel Indische mannen. In een even hete temperatuur oogsten ze het suikerriet nog steeds op dezelfde manier als in 1820 en ze worden nog steeds zeer slecht betaald voor de zware arbeid.
Excuses en spijt hebben enkel waarde wanneer daar een daad van genoegdoening tegenover staat. De grote vraag is of er herstelbetalingen moeten komen, hoeveel en aan wie maar dat onderwerp ligt heel erg gevoelig bij de Britten. Waarom zouden zij zich druk maken om wreedheden die tweehonderd jaar geleden op de Caribische eilanden plaatsvonden. Het Guyana Reparations Commitee ziet dat anders: Citaat: ‘maar de maatschappij waarin zij leven, de maatschappij waarvan zij profiteren – in materieel, intellectueel en economisch opzicht – die maatschappij heeft een historische basis. En die historische basis heeft anderen negatief beïnvloed. Het heeft een wereldwijde raciale hiërarchie gecreëerd die invloed heeft op alles wat we doen, van de pandemie-aanpak tot schuldverlichting.’, einde citaat. Toch is er een kentering merkbaar. Zo worden al te eenzijdig getekende portretten van diegenen die een wreed beleid voerden om geldgewin stilaan bijgesteld. Het is dus aan iedereen om samen de Witte schuld te erkennen en hier verantwoordelijkheid voor te nemen,’ dixit Thomas Harding op het einde van het boek.
Dat ik in mijn tekst (net zoals de auteur) de woorden ‘slaafgemaakte mensen’ gebruik in plaats van het gangbare ‘slaven’, doe ik omdat Thomas Harding er de lezer opmerkzaam op maakt dat slavernij geen eigenschap was maar een omstandigheid. Hetzelfde geldt voor de benaming Witte mensen en Zwarte mensen. De gevoeligheid aan woorden is eens te meer een bewijs dat de restanten van het slavernij systeem nog steeds zichtbaar zijn.
Alle info over dit boek vind je op https://www.singeluitgeverijen.nl/de-...
Zul je mijn verhaal herschrijven
Trap me neer in smerig stof
Maar uit dat stof zal ik herrijzen
(Maya Angelou)
Dit is niet het eerste boek over slavernij, kolonisatie en de gevolgen van jarenlange onderdrukking. Talloze onderzoeken zijn te vinden over dit onderwerp, doctoraatstudies en universitaire analyses. Veel bekende romans gaan ook over dit onderwerp. De ondergrondse spoorweg van Colson Whitehead, Bakhita van de Franse schrijfster Véronique Olmi en wie las nooit De Negerhut van oom Tom van Harriet Beecher Stowe. Het boek dat hier voor mij ligt heeft toch een andere insteek. De auteur gaat namelijk op zoek naar antwoorden over het hoe en waarom nadat hij ontdekt dat zijn familie langs moederskant voordeel heeft gehaald uit slavernij. Zijn grote vraag: “Waarom is het voor Witte mensen nog steeds zo moeilijk om te accepteren dat ze nog altijd een geweldige schuld hebben tegenover de slachtoffers van het slavernijsysteem en hun nabestaanden.”.
De aanleiding tot het schrijven was de dood van de Amerikaanse George Floyd in 2020 en het ontstaan van Black lifes matter dat hem deed nadenken over de Britse houding vandaag tegenover de koloniale slavernij. Alhoewel dit boek zich uitsluitend richt op Groot-Brittannië en hun kolonies in West-Indië kunnen dezelfde vragen gesteld worden aan Nederlanders over Suriname en Curaçao en over ons eigen koloniaal gedrag in Congo. Een tweede aanleiding was het feit dat hij van de Duitse overheid genoegdoening krijgt voor het leed dat zijn Joodse familie langs vaderskant was aangedaan. Citaat: ‘Dus als ik bereid was mezelf via mijn vaders familie als slachtoffer te zien en herstelbetalingen van de Duitse overheid te ontvangen, dan was ik ook verplicht meer te weten te komen over de rol van Groot-Brittannië in de slavernij.’ Einde citaat. Hij focust vooral op de opstand op Demerara, het huidige Guyana.
Bijna tweehonderd jaar na de afschaffing zijn de rechtstreekse gevolgen van de slavernij nog steeds zichtbaar in de Witte suprematie en de economische ongelijkheid bij mensen van kleur. Thomas Harding bezoekt nazaten van zowel slaafgemaakte mensen als slaveneigenaars maar ook mensen zoals zijn eigen familie die beter werden door het slavernij systeem. Het standpunt van de meeste Britse Witte mensen is typerend voor de ‘wij zijn niet verantwoordelijk’ mentaliteit. Er duiken in zulke gesprekken nogal lastige vragen op. Hoever in de geschiedenis moet je teruggaan bij het zoeken van de rol van de maatschappij in de slavernij? Kan je het leed dat slaafgemaakte mensen werd aangedaan afwegen tegen ander leed waardoor de mensheid werd getroffen? Het onderzoek is moeilijk doordat er een ongelijke verhouding van archiefmateriaal is. Bijna alles wat er werd opgetekend gaat over de machthebbers en de rijken. Er bestaan talloze afbeeldingen van de Witte mensen in zijn onderzoek maar geen enkele van de Zwarte mensen. Toch zitten er in het boek afbeeldingen van de voornaamste opstandelingen. Die liet Hartding zelf tekenen door kunstenaars in Guyana naar de beschrijvingen in de archieven, dagboeken en processtukken die met de opstand op Demerara te maken hadden.
De aanloop tot het verzet, de opstand zelf en de procesvoering erna vertelt Thomas Harding aan de hand van vier personages. Jack Gladstone, een slaafgemaakte man. John Smith, een zendeling. Chevely, een kolonist en John Gladstone, een politicus en slaveneigenaar. De eigenaars van plantages en dus ook van de slaafgemaakte mannen en vrouwen woonden zelden op de plantages zelf. Ze woonden in Londen of Liverpool en lieten de leiding over aan beheerders. Het hoogste doel was winst maken voor de eigenaars en wreedheid was één van de toegepaste middelen om dat doel te bereiken. Hoe het er op de plantages aan toe ging werd in Groot-Brittannië vooral bekend door de berichten die de zendelingen naar hun Genootschappen stuurde. De zendelingen waren niet erg geliefd bij de planters. Ze waren bang dat het preken en het lesgeven in de kerken te veel kennis zou brengen met onrust tot gevolg. In Londen ijveren de abolitionisten voor afschaffing van het systeem wat op enorme tegenstand stuit bij slaveneigenaars als John Gladstone. Uiteindelijk wordt er een wet gestemd die de behandeling van de slaafgemaakte mannen en vrouwen moet verbeteren. Het niet uitvoeren van die wet door de gouverneur in Georgetown, én het verbod nog langer de kerkdiensten bij te wonen, zijn de lont in het kruitvat. Onder leiding van Jack Gladstone begint de opstand op Demerara. Nieuws, brieven en kranten deden er weken over om Londen of Demerara te bereiken waardoor er heel vaak verkeerde beslissingen werden genomen. Het zijn vooral de dagboeken en brieven die Jane, de vrouw van de zendeling John Smith, aan het Zendelingengenootschap in Londen bezorgt die er voor zorgen dat de kranten de manier van werken in de kolonies aan de kaak stellen. En alhoewel de opstand in Demerara niet rechtstreeks tot de afschaffing van het slavensysteem heeft geleid, is ze er wel de oorzaak van dat de maatschappij stilaan klaar was voor verandering.
Om een duidelijk beeld te krijgen reist de auteur naar Guyana om na te gaan hoe men daar vandaag tegen het slavernijverleden aankijkt. Het wordt hem al snel duidelijk dat het voor de nazaten van de slaafgemaakte mensen belangrijk is dat de waarheid wordt gekend. ‘Zonder dat de schuldigen of hun nazaten zich niet verontschuldigen bij de slachtoffers en hun nazaten is men schuldig aan het verzwijgen. Daarom is het ook van belang om de namen te noemen van de opstandelingen in Demerara’. Hij ziet er de straten met namen van slaveneigenaars, bezoekt de plantages en woont een Maafa bij, de “grote ramp” in het Swahili, ter nagedachtenis aan de Atlantische slavenhandel. Op de plantages werken vandaag voor het overgrote deel Indische mannen. In een even hete temperatuur oogsten ze het suikerriet nog steeds op dezelfde manier als in 1820 en ze worden nog steeds zeer slecht betaald voor de zware arbeid.
Excuses en spijt hebben enkel waarde wanneer daar een daad van genoegdoening tegenover staat. De grote vraag is of er herstelbetalingen moeten komen, hoeveel en aan wie maar dat onderwerp ligt heel erg gevoelig bij de Britten. Waarom zouden zij zich druk maken om wreedheden die tweehonderd jaar geleden op de Caribische eilanden plaatsvonden. Het Guyana Reparations Commitee ziet dat anders: Citaat: ‘maar de maatschappij waarin zij leven, de maatschappij waarvan zij profiteren – in materieel, intellectueel en economisch opzicht – die maatschappij heeft een historische basis. En die historische basis heeft anderen negatief beïnvloed. Het heeft een wereldwijde raciale hiërarchie gecreëerd die invloed heeft op alles wat we doen, van de pandemie-aanpak tot schuldverlichting.’, einde citaat. Toch is er een kentering merkbaar. Zo worden al te eenzijdig getekende portretten van diegenen die een wreed beleid voerden om geldgewin stilaan bijgesteld. Het is dus aan iedereen om samen de Witte schuld te erkennen en hier verantwoordelijkheid voor te nemen,’ dixit Thomas Harding op het einde van het boek.
Dat ik in mijn tekst (net zoals de auteur) de woorden ‘slaafgemaakte mensen’ gebruik in plaats van het gangbare ‘slaven’, doe ik omdat Thomas Harding er de lezer opmerkzaam op maakt dat slavernij geen eigenschap was maar een omstandigheid. Hetzelfde geldt voor de benaming Witte mensen en Zwarte mensen. De gevoeligheid aan woorden is eens te meer een bewijs dat de restanten van het slavernij systeem nog steeds zichtbaar zijn.
Alle info over dit boek vind je op https://www.singeluitgeverijen.nl/de-...
January 24, 2023
A very very very well written book. Very accessible reading around a very important discussion. Demerara (Guyana) is rarely discussed in Britain, despite suffering enormous atrocities. The focus on set people in this book was a really effective and emotive way of writing this history, and by bringing modern discussions of slavery and reparations into the book it all worked really well. A big thinker, as although it teaches history it also highlights how this history continues to cause damage to this day. 100% recommend.
January 23, 2022
An excellent read concerning a shocking period of British history. I learnt a great deal from this book and it raises many questions about the slave trade and in particular the British involvement. I was born in the 1950s and went to school in the 1960s and 70s, not once was I ever taught anything about the slave trade. This book is an eye opener and raises many questions about an issue which many British politician seem happy to tuck under the carpet.
April 18, 2022
I wanted to read a book about the British legacy of our slave trade. I say ‘our’ because, after reading this, I feel it’s important to own that we did this. The book has made me want to find out more about my own family’s connection, and how we may have benefitted, directly or indirectly. Very thought provoking.
September 21, 2023
Brilliant. I loved that he blended the main historical “story” with his own personal reflections. I am also a big fan of creative narrative non-fiction, especially eheh the topic is this heavy.
July 17, 2022
I picked this book up with no knowledge of the contents, (I spotted it in the library) but I am always trying to improve my knowledge on the history that isn't taught in British schools and this book just supassed all expectations.
Thomas Harding found out his family had benefitted from the British slave trade, and as he began to explore this painful part of his identity, he was led on a journey of discovery about Guyana and the uprising of 1823.
I am very comfortable reading history books, but I think the dry nature they are presented in puts off many readers, however White Debt is completely unlike anything else I've read.
Instead of simply presenting facts, Thomas Harding crafts a story narrative that introduces the reader to key characters who were in the colony of Demerara (now Guyana) at the time of the 1823 uprising.
He brings to life a period in time where many brave enslaved people rose up and tried to fight the opression they faced, and were treated brutally for their attempts.
Each chapter furthers the plot but also contains interviews with the author and key figures from the repatriation movement in Guyana.
What shocks many people I think is discovering that when slavery ended in Britain it was not those who had been enslaved that recieved any form of compensation. It was the slave owners.
The Brtish Government paid out £20 million to slave owners via the Slave Compensation Commmision. In today's money this would have been worth £17 billion.
According to a tweet released by Her Majesty's Treasury, the debt that was taken out by the British government to make those payments was only paid off in 2015.
The white debt as defined in this book, is the collective leg up that slavery gave the British, and its continued affects within the Caribbean to this day.
I'd highly recommend this book as a read that sits with David Olusoga's Black and British - A Forgotten History, Akala's Natives - Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire, Afua Hirsch - Brit(ish) and David Lammys's Tribes- A Search For Belonging in a Divided Society.
Thomas Harding found out his family had benefitted from the British slave trade, and as he began to explore this painful part of his identity, he was led on a journey of discovery about Guyana and the uprising of 1823.
I am very comfortable reading history books, but I think the dry nature they are presented in puts off many readers, however White Debt is completely unlike anything else I've read.
Instead of simply presenting facts, Thomas Harding crafts a story narrative that introduces the reader to key characters who were in the colony of Demerara (now Guyana) at the time of the 1823 uprising.
He brings to life a period in time where many brave enslaved people rose up and tried to fight the opression they faced, and were treated brutally for their attempts.
Each chapter furthers the plot but also contains interviews with the author and key figures from the repatriation movement in Guyana.
What shocks many people I think is discovering that when slavery ended in Britain it was not those who had been enslaved that recieved any form of compensation. It was the slave owners.
The Brtish Government paid out £20 million to slave owners via the Slave Compensation Commmision. In today's money this would have been worth £17 billion.
According to a tweet released by Her Majesty's Treasury, the debt that was taken out by the British government to make those payments was only paid off in 2015.
The white debt as defined in this book, is the collective leg up that slavery gave the British, and its continued affects within the Caribbean to this day.
I'd highly recommend this book as a read that sits with David Olusoga's Black and British - A Forgotten History, Akala's Natives - Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire, Afua Hirsch - Brit(ish) and David Lammys's Tribes- A Search For Belonging in a Divided Society.
July 18, 2022
3.5 upgraded.
What do you do when your family have received compensation for their sufferings under the Nazis but you find out that other ancestors benefited from the slave trade? This is an attempt to examine one family’s history.
The book raises lots of questions regarding this extremely thorny issue. I appreciated finding out more about the colonies, sugar trade and slavery in what is now Guyana - like many I’d assumed it was only in the Caribbean. It’s not my favourite type of narrative, I’d prefer it more analytical and less creating a story, however the themes and particularly the insertions of the author’s attempt to discuss this with family etc are really interesting. And of course it suffers from white male ally syndrome as the author acknowledges - this is part of Guyanese history but those works aren’t known to the British public.
I think he makes a strong case for referring to the rebelling slaves as abolitionists which does reframe the dialogue. I’m not sure where I stand on reparations although there needs to be more acknowledgement of the role of the UK in this awful trade. Ultimately of course it has really harmed all of us for the economic greed of the aristocracy; so perhaps more grist for a revolution a la francaise which is surely overdue.
What do you do when your family have received compensation for their sufferings under the Nazis but you find out that other ancestors benefited from the slave trade? This is an attempt to examine one family’s history.
The book raises lots of questions regarding this extremely thorny issue. I appreciated finding out more about the colonies, sugar trade and slavery in what is now Guyana - like many I’d assumed it was only in the Caribbean. It’s not my favourite type of narrative, I’d prefer it more analytical and less creating a story, however the themes and particularly the insertions of the author’s attempt to discuss this with family etc are really interesting. And of course it suffers from white male ally syndrome as the author acknowledges - this is part of Guyanese history but those works aren’t known to the British public.
I think he makes a strong case for referring to the rebelling slaves as abolitionists which does reframe the dialogue. I’m not sure where I stand on reparations although there needs to be more acknowledgement of the role of the UK in this awful trade. Ultimately of course it has really harmed all of us for the economic greed of the aristocracy; so perhaps more grist for a revolution a la francaise which is surely overdue.
July 26, 2025
A harrowing but important and relevant read.
March 11, 2024
Earnest but ultimately simplistic
November 13, 2025
Mooi gedaan, al is het laatste deel misschien wat te lang.
En zoals het hoort bij dit soort boeken (maar het ontbreekt te vaak): duidelijke kaartjes en een namenlijstje!
En zoals het hoort bij dit soort boeken (maar het ontbreekt te vaak): duidelijke kaartjes en een namenlijstje!
March 15, 2025
Had its moments but I found myself drifting away… Felt a bit anticlimactic. Still, interesting enough.
September 12, 2023
Very interesting, a bit of history I knew nothing about, to my shame. I will think about the question of apology and reparations: not an easy topic
April 16, 2022
An account of the Demerara uprising (1823) by enslaved abolitionists (author’s preferred term) told through the lives of various players; enslaved Africans and their descendants, free black / coloured people, missionaries, plantation owners and managers and British politicians / public. This is a brutal story of how Britain upheld a vicious regime to protect its own power and financial interests. Colonialism at its worst. The Atlantic trade in captured Africans was abolished in 1807 but the institution of slavery carried on for as long as politicians and their cronies in London could find even the scantest means to defend it and local plantation owners / managers could enforce their minority rule at any cost - to the extent of killing or expelling their own kind. The Demerara uprising was definitely a nail in the coffin of plantation slavery but at huge cost of human life. The British cannot honestly stand up and criticize any brutal regime without acknowledging they were shining examples of arrogance, inequality, violence, brutality and self interest. The abject fear of a minority white population is demonstrated in the extreme actions taken to cling on to power in the colony. Rhetoric about the ignorance and intellectual immaturity of black people was proved wrong time and time again. The system of oppression that had persisted for hundreds of years was coming to an end and the death throes were ugly. This period of conveniently forgotten history is finally being excavated. It is time to regret, apologize and move on. This masterfully written book adds to a collection exposing the dark side of Britain’s imperial past. At the same time, it puts the dark side of Britain’s current agenda into grim perspective.
November 9, 2023
White Debt explores the British legacy of slavery through the lens of Demerara uprising in Guyana in 1823. The book weaves together an account of the uprising and it's aftermath and considers this alongside the author's own consideration of his Family's involvement from the slave trade.
I found this book to be very enlightening and whilst a book that is difficult to read, guides the reader through many topics which all link into structural oppression and racism which still exists in Britain today. I was grateful to this book for exploring the British legacy of slavery and find it made a compelling case for reparations and apologies for the actions from that time and the long lasting consequences which we see today.
I thought the way that Harding explores the uprising is an accessible read and not overtly academic. I thought that his reflections after each chapter gives pause for thought around some of the themes raised within that chapter.
Whilst an uncomfortable book to read I thought this was exceptionally well written and tries to place the experience of enslaved people at the heart of the points being made. One I'd highly recommend on a topic which, I feel is criminally ignored in our education system. A convincing argument is made also around the value of apologies and the price of reparations. It really left me with a feeling that change is urgently needed at an individual, governmental and societal level to fully comprehend the legacy of Britain's profiteering from slavery and the slave trade.
I found this book to be very enlightening and whilst a book that is difficult to read, guides the reader through many topics which all link into structural oppression and racism which still exists in Britain today. I was grateful to this book for exploring the British legacy of slavery and find it made a compelling case for reparations and apologies for the actions from that time and the long lasting consequences which we see today.
I thought the way that Harding explores the uprising is an accessible read and not overtly academic. I thought that his reflections after each chapter gives pause for thought around some of the themes raised within that chapter.
Whilst an uncomfortable book to read I thought this was exceptionally well written and tries to place the experience of enslaved people at the heart of the points being made. One I'd highly recommend on a topic which, I feel is criminally ignored in our education system. A convincing argument is made also around the value of apologies and the price of reparations. It really left me with a feeling that change is urgently needed at an individual, governmental and societal level to fully comprehend the legacy of Britain's profiteering from slavery and the slave trade.
July 26, 2023
I truly thought I was knowledgeable about the history of Guyana, until I read this. The author, a British citizen, speaks about his own British family's wealth that was built up off of the backs of African slaves. The American system of slavery has been in the limelight for hundreds of years, and has been mentioned hundreds of times, with hundreds of much needed apologies and reparations to follow, but the scandals, atrocities and downright injustices committed in the name of Her majesty and the British colonists have largely been left unnoticed.
My interest in the book is due to my Indian heritage, with parents from Guyana, and family members that migrated to and from Guyana. I am literally shocked with some of the ways the British treated the African slaves but also the missionaries. The last part of the book had me on edge, and I must have shaken my head in disbelief several times.
There is literally only two pages that touch upon how the indentured slaves from India were brought over from India because of the abolition of slavery in the mid 1840's, and one man was solely responsible for it because he wanted to keep his empire alive.
Now knowing this, I have to dig further... I have a different perspective now. Big thanks to the author for his hard work to compile such a thorough historic novel.
My interest in the book is due to my Indian heritage, with parents from Guyana, and family members that migrated to and from Guyana. I am literally shocked with some of the ways the British treated the African slaves but also the missionaries. The last part of the book had me on edge, and I must have shaken my head in disbelief several times.
There is literally only two pages that touch upon how the indentured slaves from India were brought over from India because of the abolition of slavery in the mid 1840's, and one man was solely responsible for it because he wanted to keep his empire alive.
Now knowing this, I have to dig further... I have a different perspective now. Big thanks to the author for his hard work to compile such a thorough historic novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2022
This is a well researched study of the events surrounding the 1823 slave rebellion in Demerara, which is now part of Guyana. It also covers the equally shocking aftermath of the uprising and the reverberations through British society.
I was already aware of these events from Michael Taylor's 'The Interest' but this is a much more in-depth and personal account due to the involvement of the author's ancestors in the slave trade. Each chapter finishes with his reflections on the legacy of the slave trade on both Guyana and Britain and the arguments for and against the payment of reparations in order to adequately address Britain's colonial 'White Debt'. The fact that the book was written after the murder of George Floyd, the emergence of BLM and the removal of the Colston statue gives the book an added resonance and urgency.
The retelling of the events in Demerara 199 years ago is a little stilted at times but the author's use of 21st century interviews, frankly shocking data, and a brilliant afterword make this a really important read! Very much recommended!
I was already aware of these events from Michael Taylor's 'The Interest' but this is a much more in-depth and personal account due to the involvement of the author's ancestors in the slave trade. Each chapter finishes with his reflections on the legacy of the slave trade on both Guyana and Britain and the arguments for and against the payment of reparations in order to adequately address Britain's colonial 'White Debt'. The fact that the book was written after the murder of George Floyd, the emergence of BLM and the removal of the Colston statue gives the book an added resonance and urgency.
The retelling of the events in Demerara 199 years ago is a little stilted at times but the author's use of 21st century interviews, frankly shocking data, and a brilliant afterword make this a really important read! Very much recommended!
December 6, 2023
An interesting, thoughtful and personal exploration of slavery, and the social debt (or not as it may be) owed for current benefits and hardships. Harding alternates between his thoughts and current activities eg discussing the issue of 21st century reparations or his family history touching slavery and a history of the Demerara uprising which he sees as a bit of a linchpin moment in British (state and societal) attitudes to slavery.
Having only been passingly familiar with the uprising, I thoroughly enjoyed the historical sections. The personal sections I found considered and (refreshingly) backed by action; Harding discusses the issue with multiple family members and they essentially whip round to fund a scholarship, which I thought was a moving way to address social responsibility.
Harding's also keenly aware that this isn't a history of slavery or various black experiences but rather how it's rendered through social benefit over centuries accrued at a societal and personal level.
It's a good read and well done to Harding.
Having only been passingly familiar with the uprising, I thoroughly enjoyed the historical sections. The personal sections I found considered and (refreshingly) backed by action; Harding discusses the issue with multiple family members and they essentially whip round to fund a scholarship, which I thought was a moving way to address social responsibility.
Harding's also keenly aware that this isn't a history of slavery or various black experiences but rather how it's rendered through social benefit over centuries accrued at a societal and personal level.
It's a good read and well done to Harding.
June 4, 2023
The book is easy to read despite being about what could be a difficult subject for a white British person to read about…. our shameful colonial past.
Not enough is taught or educated about this despite fighting 2 wars against aggressors this helped me massively to now understand why we have not done enough to change our endemic culture in the UK.
It is really shocking to read of the entirely reasonable requests of the abolitionist people on Demerara to be freed and the relatively peaceful way Jack Gladstone went about it and the truly awful aftermath, poor resolution and fake change, the destruction of John Smith and then the grotesque settlement with the plantation owners of over 17 billion pounds paid off in 2015!!!!
The book handles the subject deftly imminently readable not heavy and not long at 264 pages ish. I knew nothing of this rebellion and it’s role in the regions history.
Not enough is taught or educated about this despite fighting 2 wars against aggressors this helped me massively to now understand why we have not done enough to change our endemic culture in the UK.
It is really shocking to read of the entirely reasonable requests of the abolitionist people on Demerara to be freed and the relatively peaceful way Jack Gladstone went about it and the truly awful aftermath, poor resolution and fake change, the destruction of John Smith and then the grotesque settlement with the plantation owners of over 17 billion pounds paid off in 2015!!!!
The book handles the subject deftly imminently readable not heavy and not long at 264 pages ish. I knew nothing of this rebellion and it’s role in the regions history.
May 8, 2024
Powerful narrative and insightful revelations
"White Debt" by Thomas Harding truly captured me with its unique approach to storytelling. I found myself completely engrossed as Harding narrated historical events in a style more akin to a gripping novel than a dry academic text. This chronological narrative drew me deep into the heart of the past, making the events feel vivid and immediate.
One aspect of the book that particularly resonated with me was Harding's unmasking of the fallacy surrounding the end of British slavery. Through his meticulous research and compelling storytelling, he vividly illustrates how slavery persisted in various forms within the empire, notably in places like Demerarra. It was eye-opening to see how deeply ingrained exploitation and oppression were, despite the supposed abolition.
"White Debt" by Thomas Harding truly captured me with its unique approach to storytelling. I found myself completely engrossed as Harding narrated historical events in a style more akin to a gripping novel than a dry academic text. This chronological narrative drew me deep into the heart of the past, making the events feel vivid and immediate.
One aspect of the book that particularly resonated with me was Harding's unmasking of the fallacy surrounding the end of British slavery. Through his meticulous research and compelling storytelling, he vividly illustrates how slavery persisted in various forms within the empire, notably in places like Demerarra. It was eye-opening to see how deeply ingrained exploitation and oppression were, despite the supposed abolition.
April 21, 2024
This was a really interesting look into the Demerara uprising, and raised some really important conversations about reparations and the lasting legacy of slavery. The book was really well researched and referenced, and I really appreciates the author travelling to Guyana to speak to the people and see what impact slavery has actually had to present day life. The back and forth from past and present was a really useful comparison.
That being said, I feel like the last part of the book dragged for me. It may be because I'm not much of a non fiction reader, and the trial part was probably great if you're researching and want a historical piece by piece analysis, but I feel like the author wanted to cram their research in and could have left details out to make it more succinct
That being said, I feel like the last part of the book dragged for me. It may be because I'm not much of a non fiction reader, and the trial part was probably great if you're researching and want a historical piece by piece analysis, but I feel like the author wanted to cram their research in and could have left details out to make it more succinct
June 8, 2025
Worth reading.
The story of a revolt interspersed with the author's reflections on writing about the revolt.
The historical part is well told and although I would have prefered the reflections be an afterwards instead of at the beginning of each chapter I understand why that choice was made.
Some of the reflections read like "baby's first racial reflection" but every time I rolled my eyes..oh Thomas Jefferson is complicated? You think?--he came in with something like explaining how the author settled on calling the enslaved people "abolitionists" instead of "rebels" like they usually are described.
I appreciated how the events in Guyana were tied into what was happening in Great Britain.
The story of a revolt interspersed with the author's reflections on writing about the revolt.
The historical part is well told and although I would have prefered the reflections be an afterwards instead of at the beginning of each chapter I understand why that choice was made.
Some of the reflections read like "baby's first racial reflection" but every time I rolled my eyes..oh Thomas Jefferson is complicated? You think?--he came in with something like explaining how the author settled on calling the enslaved people "abolitionists" instead of "rebels" like they usually are described.
I appreciated how the events in Guyana were tied into what was happening in Great Britain.
August 20, 2022
As the author points out early on, many of us know a lot about the history of slavery in the USA, and I had a limiting belief that because the UK banned slavery before the US that it was somehow “better”. So this book certainly opened my eyes. The book details the Demerara uprising, and it’s impact on the abolition of slavery. The history is of course shocking and brutal. I think I had hoped that it might go a bit deeper on the UK side, tracing more of the shady wealth that much of the UK gentry profited from. Perhaps more interviews with the families. But nonetheless a good book.
July 25, 2024
An interesting description of a little known incident in an area I know something of. My own view is that the author's personal journey somewhat detracted from the excellence of the historical description, using a focus on specific characters in turn to tell a truly terrible story of colonial backwardness. I suspect Dalrymple et al will be familiar with the feeling that, in spite of moral outrage at home, colonial administrators and local military commanders were allowed to retain a horribly reactionary stance.
March 19, 2022
A very important read, the author doesn't only write factually about the events of the Demerara Uprising, but analyses the effects decisions of the time still have on the descendants of enslaved people.
He also acknowledges his own struggle of complex feelings regarding his ancestors who were both plantation owners and slavers but also holocaust victims.
He also acknowledges his own struggle of complex feelings regarding his ancestors who were both plantation owners and slavers but also holocaust victims.
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