Dr Bishundut R. Singh

“A monstrous system ... based on fraud and maintained by force...”   Gopal Krishna Gokhale

Much has been written about the ravages and evils of Britain’s colonial past; fraud, force and injustice litter the historical landscape on which the nation was built. And this is not just another tome about ‘man’s inhumanity to man’.

What is different about After Slavery: Indian Indentured Labourers is its in-depth exposition of the events and issues – based largely on original and unpublished sources – that informed and shaped the history of indentured immigration to British Guiana. These issues ranged from the state of the economy after the abolition of slavery; the forces that drove many Indians to emigrate; the conditions under which they lived and worked, and their survival against the tyranny of the planters.

After Slavery also examines the coping mechanisms and survival strategies many adopted to manage, exploit and profit from the many schemes of control and subterfuge imposed by the colonial authorities. It traces the evolution from servility to political and professional power – a deliberate mental shift that created the platform for their children’s education and to their progressive advancement in the various professions.

The slow awakening of Indian Nationalist leaders to the evils of indenture is explored, illustrated by their dogged persistence that broke the resistance of the government against abolishing the system of indentured labour.

While other works have addressed the various aspects of indenture in British Guiana, many neglect to provide a comprehensive study of the views of those who were actually responsible for formulating and implementing immigration policies. This book attempts to fill that gap.

• 216 x 138 mm
• 364 pages
• Paperback