How Scotland can help end slavery
— Norway has a sovereign fund set up from its oil revenue, perhaps here in Scotland, we can do the same
David Kerr
Christianity didn’t invent slavery but it did end it. From the time St Paul instructed the slave owning Philemon to treat his Christian chattel ‘no longer a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother,’ the benign influence of Christianity saw such slaves become serfs and eventually, freemen.
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church makes clear: “The seventh commandment forbids acts or enterprises that for any reason—selfish or ideological, commercial, or totalitarian—lead to the enslavement of human beings, to their being bought, sold and exchanged like merchandise, in disregard for their personal dignity.” Slavery, though, is back—big time.
“Estimates of the problem of modern slavery today run as high as 27 million people. In some part of the world you’re talking about as much as 1 in 350 who are suffering due to debt bondage, involuntary servitude or forced prostitution”.
That was the stark figure given to me in Rome last week by President Obama’s chief advisor on the issue, Ambassador Luis CdeBaca. We met during the lunch break at a conference joint hosted by the US Embassy and the Vatican.
“We think we put that behind us with William Wilberforce and Abraham Lincoln,” he said. “All the struggles of the 1800s to get rid of this ancient evil. And yet we see slavery existing around the world today whether in Western Europe, the Americas or Asia. Unfortunately we’ve yet to find a country it does not touch.”
But if the scandal of modern-day slavery demands the emergence of a modern-day William Wilberforce then step forward US Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey. Catholic. Conservative. Courageous.
“We are our own brothers and sisters keepers and nationality really shouldn’t get in the way of living up to Matthew 25 and protecting ‘the least of our brethren,’” he said only moments after addressing the same conference.
Congressman Smith is the author of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Law, which first became US law in 2000. Amongst other things, it ranks countries according to their human rights record on trafficking and can impose non-humanitarian sanctions against offenders. He is now urging all countries to play their part. So what role Scotland? Perhaps the answer lies on the other side of the North Sea.
In 1990 the government of Norway decided to set aside a little of its oil revenues every year. The technical name for this sort of saving regime is a ‘sovereign wealth fund.’ Its aim was simple—to invest the money accrued and thus create financial security for future generations even after North Sea oil runs out.
Today that Norwegian fund is the largest stockowner in Europe. And how does Norway use their stockholding? One leading London fund manager put it to me recently as thus: “While oil producing Arab countries use their sovereign wealth funds to buy football teams, luxury brands and luxury lifestyles, Norway uses its fund to quietly influence the ethical stance of companies and countries. You don’t come up to the ethical standards of Norway’s fund? You don’t get the investment. It’s as simple and effective as that”.
With almost as much oil left in the Scottish sector of the North Sea as has been extracted over the past 30 years, Scotland could easily do likewise. What’s more, we wouldn’t require independence in order to do it —although that would certainly help. Many non-sovereign territories have oil funds, Alaska in the US and Alberta in Canada being just two obvious examples. All we need is ambition and compassion in equal measure to make it happen.
The 19th century saw the rise of Pax Britannica as British naval power was used to suppress the global slave trade. As Norway proves, though, global influence is longer dependent solely on military might. Hence, there’s no reason why the 21st century shouldn’t see the rise of a Pax Scoticana as revenues from Scotland’s oil wealth are finally used to benefit the poorest at home and, crucially, the most vulnerable abroad —starting with modern day slaves.
“Frankly if you go back 150 to 200 years, if William Wilberforce had given up hope or if Abraham Lincoln had given up hope, slavery would still be legal and a third of the world would still be enslaved,” Luis CdeBaca told me as we departed. “They didn’t give up hope and we can’t either.”
– David Kerr is the Rome correspondent for a US-based news agency
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The problem of how to deal with modern-day slavery is that many of its victims are volunteers.
While living in the Persian Gulf, I witnessed many abuses of low-paid workers. Most, however, put up with their misery because life in their home nations was much worse.
The Filipina maid, who is paid less than contractually agreed, to work longer hours, is still able to send money back to her family. Returning to Mindanao probably meant poverty, curtailed children’s education and the constant threat of rape and political violence.
The same goes for Nepali and Sri Lankan construction workers or Ethiopian cooks.