At a recent summit of Commonwealth leaders, King Charles acknowledged the painful aspects of Britain’s history, but reparations for slavery were not addressed. However, according to Professor Geoff Palmer of Heriot-Watt University, there are lessons to be learned from a Scottish university on how to atone for the ancestral past.
The pressure for the UK government to pay reparations has been mounting, especially with the change in party leadership and Charles set to be crowned king in 2023. The Caribbean Community (Caricom) reparations committee has called for a compassionate strategy to support postcolonial reconstruction.
Professor Palmer, who led a review into Edinburgh City Council’s involvement in the slave trade, highlighted the example set by the University of Glasgow in engaging in a £20 million reparation program. This program, based on reparative justice, acknowledges the financial benefit the institute gained from slavery.
While the estimated reparations amount for the UK’s involvement in the slave trade is around £18 trillion, Professor Palmer believes setting up similar educational programs in regions affected by colonialism could be a realistic step forward. He emphasized the importance of addressing the consequences of the past, such as racism, through education.
Scotland has been proactive in acknowledging its colonial history, as seen in the replacement of a plaque at the Melville Monument in Edinburgh. The willingness of the Scottish people to accept their past and work towards reparations sets a positive example.
Rather than getting caught up in unrealistic reparations figures, Professor Palmer advocates for accepting the past, acknowledging the financial affordability, and starting to make reparations. He believes this approach will be more productive than engaging in endless debates about trillions of pounds.
In conclusion, the path to addressing reparations for slavery involves accepting the past, implementing educational programs, and finding realistic ways to atone for historical injustices. Scotland’s proactive approach can serve as a model for the UK government and the royal family to follow in addressing their colonial past.