Britain Demands Reparations From — checks notes — Itself?
A delegation from the Caricom Reparations Commission (CRC) is set to 'deepen public understanding of Britain’s colonial legacy' in the UK next week, per The Guardian. A noble pursuit, especially given Britain's storied history of understanding others' resources, then making them its own. One might wonder if the delegation will visit the Bank of England, founded (and enriched) on the literal sweat
and blood of enslaved people, or perhaps tour the stately homes built directly from the profits of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. These aren't dusty historical footnotes; the UK only finished paying off its own massive compensation debt to slave *owners* (not the enslaved) in 2015, a staggering £20 million loan from 1835—an amount so large it amounted to 40% of the Treasury’s annual income at the
time. This isn't about mere 'understanding' a colonial legacy; it's about holding power to account for centuries of systemic theft that still underpins vast fortunes. While former colonies struggle under the debts of 'independence,' the UK conveniently overlooks the principal sums, interest, and compound interest owed on forced labor and stolen resources. Apparently, some historical debts are more
equal than others when it comes to repayment schedules. How many 'historic' visits will it take for the former colonizer to grasp the concept of restitution for crimes against humanity?