Question

Some scholars have argued that the slave trade increased the incidence of warfare in west africa as various states deliberately sought captives whom they could exchange for desired goods from europe. how might osei bonsu respond to that idea? what was his understanding of the relationship between war and the slave trade?

Answer 1

Scholars have argued that the slave trade increased the incidence of warfare in West Africa as various states deliberately sought captives whom they could exchange for desired goods from Europe. Osei Bonsu was the Asante King who noted that humanitarian reasons influenced the people who opposed slave trade and would not agree to this view of some scholars.  He argued that he had never enslaved people except through war pointing out that wars were not fought to acquire slaves, but for other reasons. Osei Bonsu would see it  necessary or him to sell war captives lest they rise against him. Osei Bonsu wondered what he could trade with if he could not trade slaves in exchange or European manufactured goods.