Findings from Brattle Report on Reparations Cited in The Guardian Article
Published in The Guardian
A recent article published in The Guardian shares findings from a Brattle-authored report calculating reparations owed for violations of international law arising from and caused by transatlantic chattel slavery.
The article, “Don’t listen to the critics: reparations for slavery will right historical wrongs,” highlights the report finding that Britain alone owes a sum of £18.6 ($23.4) trillion for its role in the slave trade and that the total economic toll of slavery is possibly as high as $131 trillion. These figures are for harms during both the period slavery was carried out and post-enslavement. Also highlighted are several harms that could not be economically quantified.
According to the article, the report “dissects the complex aftermath of slavery, calculating the true cost – not only economically but also the intangibles. …Its recognition of intergenerational trauma, loss of heritage and resulting disparities in life expectancy, employment opportunities, and income is all meticulously analysed.” The Guardian notes Brattle’s calculations and analysis “serves as a cornerstone of the indefatigable efforts of those who demand justice.”
Report on Reparations for Transatlantic Chattel Slavery in the Americas and the Caribbean was authored by Principals Dr. Coleman Bazelon and Dr. Alberto Vargas and Senior Research Analysts Rohan Janakiraman and Mary Olson.
View additional coverage of Brattle’s report:
