Benjamin Lay. Probably did more than anyone else to kick off the abolitionist movement. There’s a not-too-crazy story under which if not for him, slavery might still be common throughout the world today. (And under the same world model, the further rights advances/moral circle expansion that followed abolitionism – e.g., women’s rights, gay rights, animal rights, etc – likely wouldn’t have occurred either.)
Was he causally responsible for British, etc, abolitionism and not just in America?
Btw I started reading his pamphlet against slavery, and I really appreciate this intro:
Written for a General Service, by him that truly and sincerely desires the present and eternal Welfare and Happiness of all Mankind, all the World over, of all Colours, and Nations, as his own Soul; BENJAMIN LAY.
Arguably yes. Early British abolitionists were clearly influenced by American abolitionists, and abolitionism in Britain (and to a lesser degree America) were major factors in the success of abolitionism in other countries. The big uncertainties here are: 1) how deterministic vs stochastic was the success of abolitionism, and 2) even if it was very stochastic/we got “lucky”, how important was Lay in particular for tipping success over the edge.
The other thing I’ll say about this is to read Will MacAskill’s book on longtermism (What We Owe the Future) when it comes out, which makes a pretty good case that abolitionism’s success wasn’t predetermined, and also does a good job talking about how important Benjamin Lay in particular was for abolitionism (though Will doesn’t argue that abolitionism’s success was dependent on Lay; I’m not sure what odds Will would put on P(much slavery in 2021 | world without Benjamin Lay) - P(much slavery in 2021 | world with Benjamin Lay)).
Benjamin Lay. Probably did more than anyone else to kick off the abolitionist movement. There’s a not-too-crazy story under which if not for him, slavery might still be common throughout the world today. (And under the same world model, the further rights advances/moral circle expansion that followed abolitionism – e.g., women’s rights, gay rights, animal rights, etc – likely wouldn’t have occurred either.)
Was he causally responsible for British, etc, abolitionism and not just in America?
Btw I started reading his pamphlet against slavery, and I really appreciate this intro:
Arguably yes. Early British abolitionists were clearly influenced by American abolitionists, and abolitionism in Britain (and to a lesser degree America) were major factors in the success of abolitionism in other countries. The big uncertainties here are: 1) how deterministic vs stochastic was the success of abolitionism, and 2) even if it was very stochastic/we got “lucky”, how important was Lay in particular for tipping success over the edge.
The other thing I’ll say about this is to read Will MacAskill’s book on longtermism (What We Owe the Future) when it comes out, which makes a pretty good case that abolitionism’s success wasn’t predetermined, and also does a good job talking about how important Benjamin Lay in particular was for abolitionism (though Will doesn’t argue that abolitionism’s success was dependent on Lay; I’m not sure what odds Will would put on P(much slavery in 2021 | world without Benjamin Lay) - P(much slavery in 2021 | world with Benjamin Lay)).