1 00:00:01,350 --> 00:00:04,520 [Music] 2 00:00:12,679 --> 00:00:15,679 I 3 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:38,200 welcome to Sputnik orbiting the world 4 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:40,120 with me George Galloway and me gatri it 5 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:43,120 was a shot that resounded across the 6 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:46,039 world gavo princip a young Serbian 7 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:48,520 nationalist stepped forward on a Saro 8 00:00:46,039 --> 00:00:52,719 Street and assassinated the Archduke 9 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:55,079 France Ferdinand exactly 100 years ago 10 00:00:52,719 --> 00:00:57,840 the arch duuke was the heir to the austr 11 00:00:55,079 --> 00:01:00,079 Hungarian crown and the hapless fellow 12 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:02,920 fell victim of the rising tide of 13 00:01:00,079 --> 00:01:05,119 nationalism within the ramshackle Empire 14 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:07,680 which was in danger of falling apart at 15 00:01:05,119 --> 00:01:10,479 the seams but the Empire had powerful 16 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:13,520 friends principally the burgeoning power 17 00:01:10,479 --> 00:01:16,680 of the new Germany forged by bismar only 18 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:19,680 just over 40 years before but already 19 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:21,920 emerging as the great Continental power 20 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:24,840 France which had been crushed by bismar 21 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:27,040 in 1870 panicked at the possibility of 22 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:29,640 Germany on the March again and call on 23 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:31,400 its Ally Russia to come to his Aid she 24 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:33,720 called on Britain too which was 25 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:35,680 initially reluctant to join in but 26 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:38,000 belatedly when the invading German 27 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:40,439 crushed neutral Belgium Britain too 28 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:43,720 joined the freey and so the first World 29 00:01:40,439 --> 00:01:46,280 War Began Germany Austria Hungary and 30 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:48,799 the Turkish Ottoman Empire versus 31 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:51,479 Britain France and Russia it would 32 00:01:48,799 --> 00:01:53,960 quickly envelop the world joining us 33 00:01:51,479 --> 00:01:57,920 today is our own house historian on 34 00:01:53,960 --> 00:02:00,799 matters of War Max Arthur obbe Max 35 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:03,560 thanks very much for uh joining us your 36 00:02:00,799 --> 00:02:06,759 bestselling stunning uh book forgotten 37 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:09,080 voices of the great Wars now sold half a 38 00:02:06,759 --> 00:02:11,720 million copies and it's going like hot 39 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:13,720 cakes where I bought that uh and this 40 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:16,319 tells the real story but for the viewers 41 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:18,560 who haven't read it yet was it really 42 00:02:16,319 --> 00:02:21,319 all about the arch duuke France 43 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:24,239 Ferdinand it I think it was the first 44 00:02:21,319 --> 00:02:26,959 sparkler in a great bonfire which was to 45 00:02:24,239 --> 00:02:29,720 come really anything could have lit that 46 00:02:26,959 --> 00:02:32,599 torch really anything I mean I think if 47 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:37,480 uh uh an Austra if a Serbian had trodden 48 00:02:32,599 --> 00:02:39,519 on a on a austral Hungarian solders toe 49 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:41,560 it would have started some sort of it 50 00:02:39,519 --> 00:02:44,360 was there was too much adrenaline 51 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:47,560 pumping from so many countries which had 52 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:50,920 very large armies which had not seen War 53 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:53,400 since 1870 the British had their own art 54 00:02:50,920 --> 00:02:55,840 of fights in South Africa but small 55 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:58,680 pennies really but I think in the vision 56 00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:01,640 of what in the lives of the people at 57 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:03,680 home we many I've spoken to many of the 58 00:03:01,640 --> 00:03:05,799 veterans can remember as children 59 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:08,840 watching the men returning from the B 60 00:03:05,799 --> 00:03:11,040 war and in their Reds and looking Grand 61 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:13,599 and horses and things and somehow they 62 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:17,080 thought this is the image that maybe one 63 00:03:13,599 --> 00:03:18,760 day I can take on so from the British 64 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:22,760 side of things there there was a great 65 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:25,799 Readiness to go into war and I remember 66 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:29,360 talking to someone he said uh he was man 67 00:03:25,799 --> 00:03:30,319 then in his 80s or 90s and he said he 68 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:32,720 was at 69 00:03:30,319 --> 00:03:35,959 Oxford and he was down for the summer 70 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:38,439 and insisted on getting into uniform so 71 00:03:35,959 --> 00:03:41,959 he could be do his fighting and be back 72 00:03:38,439 --> 00:03:45,760 for the mlus term in October and that is 73 00:03:41,959 --> 00:03:47,560 the every all be over be it all be over 74 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:49,200 by melas which is even better line than 75 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:52,040 that but you know there was so many 76 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:56,120 intrigues going on so many treaties that 77 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:58,920 had to be soal verified or abandoned but 78 00:03:56,120 --> 00:04:01,000 I mean Russia was a big powerful force 79 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:04,760 that frightened the Germans once the 80 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:07,280 Russians Miz huge Army huge Army 81 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:09,519 absolutely gigantic Army and France 82 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:11,760 France relied upon that I mean that the 83 00:04:09,519 --> 00:04:13,720 France was in a sense very much so 84 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:17,400 squaring up to people with the thought 85 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:18,880 of someone else's arming fighting yes 86 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:22,120 that's happened a number of times in 87 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:24,160 their history um so it took the uh the 88 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:26,440 Russians six weeks really but of course 89 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:29,360 the Germans then realized wo gosh this 90 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:31,840 is going to be bigger than we thought so 91 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:33,560 they term was really I think somewhere 92 00:04:31,840 --> 00:04:37,000 in the back of their heads was always 93 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:39,440 not just to conquer Europe but to C take 94 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:41,680 over Russia as well I mean it's even 95 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:44,240 then even then even before the the 96 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:46,199 mineral oil contents everything that 97 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:48,720 Germany wanted could have been supplied 98 00:04:46,199 --> 00:04:51,680 through Russia yeah so this leban round 99 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:54,240 before the before the term was coined 100 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:55,759 was in their mind but you can imagine 101 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:58,039 the number of conversations must have 102 00:04:55,759 --> 00:05:00,199 gone on between austr hungarians the 103 00:04:58,039 --> 00:05:02,440 serbs they were just going to belittle 104 00:05:00,199 --> 00:05:04,800 the serbs whatever happened it was just 105 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:07,840 an excuse really to get this again 106 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:10,160 fairly giant army into action it meant 107 00:05:07,840 --> 00:05:12,680 that the French then had to do something 108 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:14,720 about it the Belgium remained on this 109 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:17,360 sort of neutral plane and didn't quite 110 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:19,520 know where they were and so really 111 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:21,520 although they were very brave when the 112 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:24,759 the Germans swept through it was a 113 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:26,880 futile defense really as and only the 114 00:05:24,759 --> 00:05:30,000 French really held but I don't think 115 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:33,000 people quite realize that in 1914 116 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:36,400 that war could have manover in 1914 won 117 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:38,800 by the Germans they pushed through at a 118 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:40,600 remarkable rapid rate as they did in the 119 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:42,800 second world war and drove them to 120 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:46,039 Dunkirk here the British held them at 121 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:48,360 the man uh actually with a number of 122 00:05:46,039 --> 00:05:50,560 Indian forces which never get mentioned 123 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:54,319 there were probably about 100,000 Indian 124 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:56,639 troops holding them there as well uh and 125 00:05:54,319 --> 00:06:01,479 then slowly for the next four years the 126 00:05:56,639 --> 00:06:03,960 war of very very high harsh attrition 127 00:06:01,479 --> 00:06:07,039 went on slowly taking the Germans back 128 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:10,639 to Berlin but it was four years George 129 00:06:07,039 --> 00:06:13,319 four solid years and the fact that I've 130 00:06:10,639 --> 00:06:16,720 checked recently was it's about 131 00:06:13,319 --> 00:06:19,560 460 young Lads have been killed in 132 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:23,319 Afghanistan that was the average loss of 133 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:28,639 life on the British forces every single 134 00:06:23,319 --> 00:06:30,199 day of the war every single day so when 135 00:06:28,639 --> 00:06:32,280 they started in the beginning the times 136 00:06:30,199 --> 00:06:34,000 putting lots of photographs up they 137 00:06:32,280 --> 00:06:36,120 realized after a while you know just 138 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:40,800 couldn't they couldn't couldn't go this 139 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:43,360 attrition and that level of loss uh 140 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:45,080 changed Britain forever didn't it I mean 141 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:47,639 just let's look at the I was going to 142 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:49,960 call it banal it's not really banal but 143 00:06:47,639 --> 00:06:52,479 how many women therefore then never got 144 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:55,199 married because all these men had been 145 00:06:52,479 --> 00:06:58,160 killed and therefore never had children 146 00:06:55,199 --> 00:07:00,120 and we never got the benefit uh of the 147 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:03,720 efforts of these men and the children 148 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:06,160 they never had how did it twist or 149 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:09,000 distort British I think greatly and I 150 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:10,879 still think it's with us I mean uh you 151 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:14,240 know a little of this being leader of 152 00:07:10,879 --> 00:07:18,960 your party and things but you have to 153 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:21,800 somehow look now for leaders and quite 154 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:23,560 hard to find natural charismatic who you 155 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:26,280 would just go along with because it's 156 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:28,080 sheer Charisma is sheer demands which 157 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:30,400 were tempered or thought through or 158 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:34,800 sensitive you followed him 159 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:36,400 these men are rare many so so many are 160 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:39,800 killed on the Western Front I'm doing a 161 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:42,879 book at the moment on a young lad uh of 162 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:45,520 20 he was a young leftenant captain of 163 00:07:42,879 --> 00:07:48,960 Harrow you know everything ahead of him 164 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:51,080 poof gone and I lived in asr's house for 165 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:54,400 many years where he'd heard of the death 166 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:57,400 of his son um on the Western Front born 167 00:07:54,400 --> 00:08:00,280 born to the leadership born to World of 168 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:02,400 politics knew it inside out back killed 169 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:05,240 by single bullet you know and you think 170 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:07,560 what a waste they had no idea of what 171 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:11,280 was ahead of them most of the people 172 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:16,280 going to the front uh they might well 173 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:21,479 have studied the American Civil War uh 174 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:23,919 which 35 40 years hence are behind them 175 00:08:21,479 --> 00:08:26,840 but which nonetheless showed the sheer 176 00:08:23,919 --> 00:08:28,800 casualty scale of casualties that such a 177 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:30,960 war of attrition and with the new 178 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:32,640 technology and so on but they didn't did 179 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:36,839 they they didn't 180 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:39,039 600,000 killed in those those years and 181 00:08:36,839 --> 00:08:41,880 no the photographs were there brilliant 182 00:08:39,039 --> 00:08:43,279 photographs the Dead the maimed but I 183 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:46,120 suppose always in the back of a 184 00:08:43,279 --> 00:08:50,279 soldier's head having been there is it 185 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:53,959 ain't going to be me but even so not 186 00:08:50,279 --> 00:08:56,000 to show more clearly what was ahead of 187 00:08:53,959 --> 00:08:58,920 them what a machine gun could do you 188 00:08:56,000 --> 00:09:00,680 know just put a cabbage up just run it 189 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:03,480 through that's what's going to happen to 190 00:09:00,680 --> 00:09:05,560 you you know and it was a machine gun 191 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:08,320 which changed in many ways everything 192 00:09:05,560 --> 00:09:10,120 but the the heaviness of the artillary 193 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:12,959 the world has never seen you know you 194 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:15,279 could drop it as they did at Jutland 195 00:09:12,959 --> 00:09:17,720 over 12 mile distance with accurately 196 00:09:15,279 --> 00:09:22,279 onto another ship those bombs are almost 197 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:25,279 as strip proof as they are now um so we 198 00:09:22,279 --> 00:09:27,360 had no concept of the reality of the war 199 00:09:25,279 --> 00:09:30,040 which we were going into our last 200 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:32,440 encounter was against gorillas 201 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:34,000 who we call gorillas in the B War you 202 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:38,399 know they didn't fight as regiments 203 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:40,760 there was so Battalion level we 204 00:09:38,399 --> 00:09:42,680 conducted quite good Wars but suddenly 205 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:47,200 the generals who had 206 00:09:42,680 --> 00:09:50,800 been active in the B War suddenly then 207 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:53,200 had no longer a th000 men to look after 208 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:57,079 they had 20,000 30,000 men which they 209 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:59,440 had to move time and time again at speed 210 00:09:57,079 --> 00:10:01,720 often detaching many of them and losing 211 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:03,120 many of them but the only tactic they 212 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:05,920 knew was to 213 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:09,000 advance after heavy heavy heavy 214 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:11,760 bombardment whereas War had swung in 215 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:14,640 favor of Defense hadn't it this 216 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:17,760 technology uh argued that actually the 217 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:20,040 man sitting defending something rather 218 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:24,079 than trying to move forward was the man 219 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:26,120 to beat going back to the arch duuke 220 00:10:24,079 --> 00:10:30,040 most people have forgotten that the 221 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:32,279 austr Hungarian empire ever existed 222 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:34,000 I've described it as ramshackle how 223 00:10:32,279 --> 00:10:36,639 ramshackle was I don't think it was that 224 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:39,560 ramshackle it was it was in it was a 225 00:10:36,639 --> 00:10:42,480 benevolent sort of despot that was 226 00:10:39,560 --> 00:10:45,800 looking after it he was not loved the 227 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:47,720 heir to the throne who was killed um and 228 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:50,040 he they they all thought he was he' 229 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:52,320 married benath his class and so she was 230 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:56,440 ordered on All Occasions to walk behind 231 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:59,639 him so I suppose in many ways the loss 232 00:10:56,440 --> 00:11:02,880 of him to that country was probably as 233 00:10:59,639 --> 00:11:05,720 great as it should have been um because 234 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:08,320 it meant the old man stayed on but of 235 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:11,639 course he was quickly seduced into an 236 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:14,560 attack on Serbia and that the the others 237 00:11:11,639 --> 00:11:16,880 could not accept Serbia was a real live 238 00:11:14,560 --> 00:11:19,440 poent threat absolutely yeah the serbs 239 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:21,600 proved then uh and subsequently in the 240 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:24,279 Second World War uh that there were very 241 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:27,519 formidable Fighters and and since and 242 00:11:24,279 --> 00:11:30,160 since and since yeah and since um now 243 00:11:27,519 --> 00:11:32,320 War comes with propaganda of course and 244 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:34,639 about the German side it was said uh 245 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:37,079 that they were behaving extremely 246 00:11:34,639 --> 00:11:40,959 ruthless they were raping NS and 247 00:11:37,079 --> 00:11:43,040 throwing babies over Tower tops to what 248 00:11:40,959 --> 00:11:44,440 extent is that in Belgium in Belgium in 249 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:46,760 the neutral Belgium of course course if 250 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:49,760 you want to get a a group of people off 251 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:52,760 the ground moving quickly tell people 252 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:55,200 about the assaults on women on children 253 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:58,800 and you'll get Mas grows 254 00:11:55,200 --> 00:12:00,760 anywhere most armies kill civilians 255 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:02,880 somewhere on the line they have to CU 256 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:06,040 they're not sure what repercussions of 257 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:07,680 passing by someone uh would be because 258 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:11,519 the communications were still there on 259 00:12:07,680 --> 00:12:13,880 the telephone so let's kill them um 260 00:12:11,519 --> 00:12:16,399 there were undoubtedly atrocities in 261 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:18,959 Belgium but the way the propaganda 262 00:12:16,399 --> 00:12:21,560 worked was oh we can't have this and the 263 00:12:18,959 --> 00:12:23,880 English are very prone to 264 00:12:21,560 --> 00:12:26,680 defending the in that is that what 265 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:28,880 triggered the the British not quite it 266 00:12:26,680 --> 00:12:31,360 kind of pushed uh Britain they did into 267 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:33,720 the war yeah when some of the arguments 268 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:36,079 in the cabinet were were against it Max 269 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:38,320 we've run out of time I must say it's 270 00:12:36,079 --> 00:12:40,480 been reissued your Bo half a million 271 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:42,399 copies sold it deserves to sell half a 272 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:44,519 million more thank you I must say it's a 273 00:12:42,399 --> 00:12:48,639 fantastic piece of work Lov our own 274 00:12:44,519 --> 00:12:51,600 historian Max Arthur OB coming up after 275 00:12:48,639 --> 00:12:54,560 the break Dutch historian Dinka Hondos 276 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:59,079 on slavery Europe and Blackness I 277 00:12:54,560 --> 00:12:59,079 promise you you won't want to miss it 278 00:12:59,230 --> 00:13:02,299 [Music] 279 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:13,320 welcome back to Sputnik the European 280 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:16,279 Empires grew vastly rich on the ghastly 281 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:18,160 trade of enslaving other human beings 282 00:13:16,279 --> 00:13:20,959 chaining them throwing them into the 283 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:23,440 holds of leaking verminous ships and 284 00:13:20,959 --> 00:13:25,880 sailing them thousands of miles to work 285 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:28,399 as beasts of burden and the so property 286 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:31,519 just like his cattle and his sheep of 287 00:13:28,399 --> 00:13:34,160 their owners slavery largely though not 288 00:13:31,519 --> 00:13:37,320 wholly died out but the racism which 289 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:39,760 underpinned it never did Britain was of 290 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:41,920 course a preeminent European slaver but 291 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:44,760 the Netherlands nowadays synonymous with 292 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:46,519 liberal values was a brute slaver too 293 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:49,519 and perhaps first in the race to 294 00:13:46,519 --> 00:13:52,000 racialize all discourse they did invent 295 00:13:49,519 --> 00:13:55,320 the concept of apartheid after all our 296 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:57,880 next guest Dr Dinka Hondas teaches in 297 00:13:55,320 --> 00:14:01,680 Amsterdam but writes powerfully across 298 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:03,279 the world on slavery and its twin racism 299 00:14:01,680 --> 00:14:05,839 she's written a new book called 300 00:14:03,279 --> 00:14:08,240 blackness in Western Europe and I'm glad 301 00:14:05,839 --> 00:14:10,440 she joins us now Dr Dinka thanks for 302 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:12,839 coming on the Sputnik I I haven't read 303 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:16,320 your new book yet but I did read your uh 304 00:14:12,839 --> 00:14:18,240 Heritage uh slavery guide to Amsterdam 305 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:20,639 and I thought to myself we could do with 306 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:23,920 one of these here in London and Bristol 307 00:14:20,639 --> 00:14:26,759 and Glasgow and so on uh so slavery was 308 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:29,959 around a long time uh most of the 309 00:14:26,759 --> 00:14:33,720 European Empires were deeply involved in 310 00:14:29,959 --> 00:14:36,079 it uh tell us how you think and this is 311 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:39,199 what I think is the thesis of your new 312 00:14:36,079 --> 00:14:41,440 book how slavery has never really gone 313 00:14:39,199 --> 00:14:44,320 away it's been replaced in the sense 314 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:47,079 with this kind of racism this kind of 315 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:49,519 fear of Blackness we are involved in a 316 00:14:47,079 --> 00:14:51,600 lot of debates about racism today and 317 00:14:49,519 --> 00:14:54,639 anti-racism and how to fight it what 318 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:57,040 forms it takes but to understand how it 319 00:14:54,639 --> 00:14:59,519 developed we have to go uh away from the 320 00:14:57,040 --> 00:15:02,519 21st and the 20th century and really go 321 00:14:59,519 --> 00:15:05,000 back to the 16th century when uh uh 322 00:15:02,519 --> 00:15:08,800 black and white people first met it is 323 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:11,839 in those first meetings that um European 324 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:16,120 uh Supremacy white superiority feelings 325 00:15:11,839 --> 00:15:19,199 have developed and uh somehow uh 326 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:21,440 remained intact for a very long time and 327 00:15:19,199 --> 00:15:24,279 this has not been very visible within 328 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:26,079 Europe here in London or in Bristol as 329 00:15:24,279 --> 00:15:28,000 you said or Liverpool or in the 330 00:15:26,079 --> 00:15:30,680 Netherlands in Amsterdam and in 331 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:32,560 middleberg and in Rotterdam uh the 332 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:34,959 history of slavery remained very 333 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:37,639 invisible all the decisions were taken 334 00:15:34,959 --> 00:15:39,240 here in Europe in all the the beautiful 335 00:15:37,639 --> 00:15:41,600 houses and the offices here those 336 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:44,959 decisions were made but the enslaved 337 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:47,839 people themselves were not here so uh 338 00:15:44,959 --> 00:15:50,279 the color line remained uh not 339 00:15:47,839 --> 00:15:52,959 completely but virtually intact and that 340 00:15:50,279 --> 00:15:55,880 made it easier for white Europeans to 341 00:15:52,959 --> 00:15:58,360 continue that that long history of 342 00:15:55,880 --> 00:16:01,800 enslavement and the slave trade and 343 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:04,680 after the abolition of slavery in 1863 344 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:07,160 and in um Britain in 345 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:10,480 1833 this history was more or less 346 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:12,040 forgotten uh but traveling to Europe uh 347 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:14,079 from the British colonies and from the 348 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:17,519 Dutch colonies remained very very 349 00:16:14,079 --> 00:16:19,480 difficult and so um both Britain and the 350 00:16:17,519 --> 00:16:22,399 Netherlands and also France remained 351 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:24,800 virtually white and it is that whiteness 352 00:16:22,399 --> 00:16:27,920 that has remained intact and that has 353 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:31,880 kept the idea of uh whiteness as extra 354 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:34,319 extra beautiful extra powerful extra 355 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:37,600 natural intact for a very long time 356 00:16:34,319 --> 00:16:40,279 until the 20th century then we see the 357 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:42,560 postcolonialism growing but only then 358 00:16:40,279 --> 00:16:46,519 only later in the 20th century do we see 359 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:49,360 a real change and then uh both the 360 00:16:46,519 --> 00:16:53,040 postcolonial presence enters Europe but 361 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:55,759 also racism comes back to Europe and now 362 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:59,920 we have to deal with that so we are so 363 00:16:55,759 --> 00:17:02,440 prior to the 20th century then uh 364 00:16:59,920 --> 00:17:04,799 Blackness and slavery were a synonym 365 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:07,240 really I mean the there were no black 366 00:17:04,799 --> 00:17:10,240 people living amongst us we never met 367 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:12,799 one uh but we profited from the 368 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:15,400 existence of black people yeah what I 369 00:17:12,799 --> 00:17:18,720 show if you see the cover of the book is 370 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:21,959 uh uh is not a slave is a black 371 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:24,000 servant uh a beautiful boy or could be a 372 00:17:21,959 --> 00:17:26,880 beautiful girl so there was a very 373 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:29,360 selective black presence in Europe very 374 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:32,280 few people were allowed entrance usually 375 00:17:29,360 --> 00:17:34,440 as beautiful children who were then uh 376 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:36,919 made the black servants in beautiful 377 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:39,360 homes here in Britain but also in uh 378 00:17:36,919 --> 00:17:41,240 Scandinavia and in Germany and in 379 00:17:39,360 --> 00:17:43,799 Austria everywhere in Northwestern 380 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:46,600 Europe and how were they treated well we 381 00:17:43,799 --> 00:17:49,840 know still very little about that but uh 382 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:52,480 since their presence was so exceptional 383 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:56,880 uh they were able to develop friendships 384 00:17:52,480 --> 00:18:00,760 and they were accepted as uh uh yeah as 385 00:17:56,880 --> 00:18:02,520 trophies really as as special gifts uh I 386 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:06,679 don't know how you can maybe as a kind 387 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:10,120 of pet you can compare it to that so one 388 00:18:06,679 --> 00:18:12,240 Merchant would give uh a little child uh 389 00:18:10,120 --> 00:18:15,200 to the other as a kind of gift as a 390 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:17,679 special gift to treat but the 20th 391 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:19,440 century all that changes uh there begins 392 00:18:17,679 --> 00:18:23,200 to be especially in the second half of 393 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:27,000 the 20th century big movements of people 394 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:29,640 uh from the hether to colonized and even 395 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:33,000 enslaved countries or of the people we 396 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:35,679 used to colonize and enslave and the 397 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:38,760 impact of that on European Society was 398 00:18:35,679 --> 00:18:42,400 what well for the first time the Empire 399 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:44,360 came back into Europe and you know white 400 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:46,240 and white people have to deal with the 401 00:18:44,360 --> 00:18:49,559 presence of black people and of Asian 402 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:52,679 people then from then on so that is H uh 403 00:18:49,559 --> 00:18:54,520 quite a change and people of uh uh your 404 00:18:52,679 --> 00:18:56,200 generation of the generation of my 405 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:58,520 parents can still remember the first 406 00:18:56,200 --> 00:19:01,039 time they saw a black person or an Asian 407 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:02,600 person person if you interview people 408 00:19:01,039 --> 00:19:05,440 white people they will still remember 409 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:06,919 that why is it so hard to deal with that 410 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:09,720 I mean you you wouldn't remember the 411 00:19:06,919 --> 00:19:11,880 first time you saw a red-haired person 412 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:13,640 uh or uh well that's a good question 413 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:15,440 that's a good question why is that so 414 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:19,159 why why is it so 415 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:20,919 impactful I think uh images about black 416 00:19:19,159 --> 00:19:24,120 people and Asian people had been around 417 00:19:20,919 --> 00:19:27,960 for those centuries but not actually uh 418 00:19:24,120 --> 00:19:31,679 living persons very very few so there is 419 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:34,799 no uh tradition of ordinary interaction 420 00:19:31,679 --> 00:19:37,400 uh common living together just you know 421 00:19:34,799 --> 00:19:39,919 that uh is still recent this is still a 422 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:43,280 recent phenomenon so it's it still takes 423 00:19:39,919 --> 00:19:47,679 getting used to uh and is it because 424 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:49,840 this is my untutored thesis that having 425 00:19:47,679 --> 00:19:51,720 enslaved and conquered and colonized 426 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:54,520 people you have to persuade yourself 427 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:57,280 that you are superior to them otherwise 428 00:19:54,520 --> 00:20:00,760 how can you justify taking them and 429 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:03,000 taking their things and having persuaded 430 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:06,320 ourselves over centuries that we were 431 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:10,200 the master race it's very difficult now 432 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:13,520 to treat equally those uh that we forly 433 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:17,159 colonized and enslaved I think that 434 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:20,280 is high very likely nobody gets over 435 00:20:17,159 --> 00:20:22,039 centuries of colonialism just like like 436 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:25,080 a snap of a finger what what about 437 00:20:22,039 --> 00:20:28,120 looking at it for a minute from the 438 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:29,320 other side you might be better placed uh 439 00:20:28,120 --> 00:20:32,760 for that 440 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:35,640 um if if white people find it difficult 441 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:38,480 to deal with the relatively recent 442 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:42,080 presence of large numbers of people of 443 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:44,320 color how do people of color feel being 444 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:47,039 in the presence of a great majority 445 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:49,679 still of of white 446 00:20:47,039 --> 00:20:51,360 people do you want to answer that well 447 00:20:49,679 --> 00:20:53,159 the thing is that um we're talking 448 00:20:51,360 --> 00:20:55,400 specifically about black people but the 449 00:20:53,159 --> 00:20:58,120 Dutch in specific also enslaved 450 00:20:55,400 --> 00:21:01,200 Indonesian specifically from java and 451 00:20:58,120 --> 00:21:04,480 they transported them to Surinam amongst 452 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:07,080 others so um there is definitely a sense 453 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:08,360 of I feel very connected to this topic 454 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:10,240 anyway I mean when you go into a 455 00:21:08,360 --> 00:21:12,480 restaurant for example and almost 456 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:15,559 everyone there is white do you notice 457 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:17,320 that I do I do very much I have a I have 458 00:21:15,559 --> 00:21:19,760 a very I have a very high conscious of 459 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:22,400 that conscious consciousness of that of 460 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:25,520 being the only Asian or or woman of 461 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:28,799 color and in some group or setting and 462 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:30,799 especially living being born and born in 463 00:21:28,799 --> 00:21:32,720 and living in in the in the west 464 00:21:30,799 --> 00:21:35,440 actually in the actual country that 465 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:37,320 colonized my my family's country it 466 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:40,039 makes me even more aware of it what did 467 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:43,200 what did your researchers doctor uh tell 468 00:21:40,039 --> 00:21:46,320 you about that particular Point well uh 469 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:49,600 it's it's very uh good to stress uh the 470 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:51,120 element of slavery history in Asia 471 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:53,080 because that is something we know still 472 00:21:51,120 --> 00:21:54,880 very little about when we think of 473 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:57,080 slavery and the slave trade we think of 474 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:59,840 the Caribbean and we think of the 475 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:03,240 movements from West Africa to the to the 476 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:05,360 Americas but the Asian Empires were also 477 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:07,320 full of this history of enslavement and 478 00:22:05,360 --> 00:22:10,159 of the slave trade and that has not 479 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:12,240 really been addressed uh in my book I 480 00:22:10,159 --> 00:22:15,520 show that and also in the walking guide 481 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:18,640 for Amsterdam we show that uh the same 482 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:20,600 families in Amsterdam had shares both in 483 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:23,279 the East India Company and in the West 484 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:25,400 India Company so we can locate that in 485 00:22:23,279 --> 00:22:28,159 the same houses along the canals in 486 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:30,360 Amsterdam so there you see that the the 487 00:22:28,159 --> 00:22:32,760 start in point and the Investments and 488 00:22:30,360 --> 00:22:34,400 the insurance companies were you know 489 00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:37,320 they they put money in the west and put 490 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:39,679 money in the East now in anthropology 491 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:42,200 and in history that have become very 492 00:22:39,679 --> 00:22:44,600 separated Fields but when you bring it 493 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:47,159 back to the cities in Europe you can see 494 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:50,720 that it is very con same owners yeah 495 00:22:47,159 --> 00:22:53,679 same owners I always say uh I mean I say 496 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:55,640 it as a joke but it's real that many 497 00:22:53,679 --> 00:22:57,679 white people are afraid of black people 498 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:59,720 but I always point out to them that the 499 00:22:57,679 --> 00:23:04,039 black fellow has got far more to be 500 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:06,080 afraid of you uh than you have of him 501 00:23:04,039 --> 00:23:09,080 after all it was People Like Us who 502 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:13,360 enslaved people like him and he's here 503 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:16,000 because of that uh are we ever going to 504 00:23:13,360 --> 00:23:18,240 reach a stage where we'll go into a 505 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:21,240 restaurant and we won't notice the color 506 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:23,120 of the people there I think to to deal 507 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:25,279 with this history we first have to 508 00:23:23,120 --> 00:23:29,320 recognize the impact of color of 509 00:23:25,279 --> 00:23:31,480 Blackness and of uh um the just simple 510 00:23:29,320 --> 00:23:33,440 skin color the impact of that we first 511 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:36,000 have to recognize that and then maybe it 512 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:39,480 can be become less important you talk 513 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:42,240 about fear I think uh most white people 514 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:45,600 are not so much afraid of black people 515 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:47,760 but they uh they have a problem uh 516 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:51,400 dealing with uh black and Asian people 517 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:53,720 as adults regarding them as full scale 518 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:56,000 uh adult human beings as opposed to CH 519 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:58,760 children yes the image really is one of 520 00:23:56,000 --> 00:24:01,840 the child a sort of permanent child 521 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:05,080 white people have a yeah but but really 522 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:08,520 a sort of childishness and uh and that 523 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:11,520 also def the explains the idea that 524 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:15,279 white people are feel Superior in in 525 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:18,159 teaching and uh you know well yeah the 526 00:24:15,279 --> 00:24:21,679 British Empire went uh went to Africa 527 00:24:18,159 --> 00:24:24,799 and further a field just to teach them 528 00:24:21,679 --> 00:24:27,000 how to be like us Dr Dinka best of luck 529 00:24:24,799 --> 00:24:29,000 with that book blackness in Western 530 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:30,710 Europe and thanks for coming on the 531 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:32,440 sputnick thank 532 00:24:30,710 --> 00:24:35,000 [Music] 533 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:37,000 you and now it's your turn to tell us 534 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:39,679 what you think through the portals of 535 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:42,039 social media what's rattling gy oh what 536 00:24:39,679 --> 00:24:44,799 a lovely War the film from 537 00:24:42,039 --> 00:24:48,240 1969 was it really all about the arch 538 00:24:44,799 --> 00:24:51,159 Duke France Ferdinand fi moriarti 539 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:54,200 replies it surely was not it was to do 540 00:24:51,159 --> 00:24:57,360 with an arms race ego essentially and 541 00:24:54,200 --> 00:25:00,399 Roger the Dodger answers like most War 542 00:24:57,360 --> 00:25:02,960 it was about power money and egos had 543 00:25:00,399 --> 00:25:05,399 very little to do with what concerned 544 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:07,760 most ordinary people at the time the 545 00:25:05,399 --> 00:25:11,559 history of slavery and Europe what do we 546 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:13,799 actually know Rea Grant replies many 547 00:25:11,559 --> 00:25:16,559 settlers in the west who are the product 548 00:25:13,799 --> 00:25:21,240 of European slave system no nothing 549 00:25:16,559 --> 00:25:24,120 actually and A to Z replies earlier 550 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:26,039 common public used to be direct slaves 551 00:25:24,120 --> 00:25:28,080 but now they are being managed through 552 00:25:26,039 --> 00:25:28,919 puet governments well that's it for this 553 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:32,000 week 554 00:25:28,919 --> 00:25:35,080 now we to might be three by the time 555 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:36,960 they next see us together again well do 556 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:39,919 please keep in touch with us anyway on 557 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:42,000 Twitter at rtor Sputnik and on Facebook 558 00:25:39,919 --> 00:25:44,399 you can like us on Sputnik on Russia 559 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:49,159 today it's goodbye from me gri and from 560 00:25:44,399 --> 00:25:49,159 me George Galloway it's been marvelous 561 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:01,440 oh 562 00:26:02,910 --> 00:26:09,189 [Music]