New Methods, Old Conclusions: The Ross Report

  • Miguel Bandeira Jerónimo
Chapter
Part of the Cambridge Imperial and Post-Colonial Studies Series book series (CIPCSS)

Abstract

‘It seems that the League of Nations’ slavery commission will be meeting shortly […] Our African colonies continue to be the main topic of discussion as a result of unfounded accusations that Portugal is tired of destroying, demonstrating, by all means available, that its legislation on native labour and on assistance is one of the most perfect known.’ With these words, Ernesto de Vasconcelos, admiral and ‘permanent secretary’ of the Lisbon Geographical Society, anticipated one of the most important events in Portuguese political life during the 1920s, one that was to unleash a torrent of questions about the importance of the colonial project, its past, present and future. This anticipation of the content and purpose of the Slavery Commission meeting at the League of Nations was derived from a series of requests for clarifications that the commission had addressed to the Portuguese government concerning such matters as taxing the natives for public works, and insisting on the principle of freedom of contract that was ensured to the natives. In short, it questioned, in numerous contentious issues, the actual workings of the native policy in Portugal’s overseas territories. The diverse modalities of slavery — explicit or disguised — assumed a central role in these enquiries. Arguing that the native policies applied in the Portuguese colonies displayed clearly liberal traits, Ernesto de Vasconcelos blamed the eventual persistence of slavery models or practices on factors external to the colonies, claiming that ‘if slavery still exists, it is because there are slave markets, and, if that is the case, then it is necessary to look for them outside of our African provinces and close them’.1

Keywords

Foreign Affair Native Labour Slave Trade Colonial Labour Colonial Administration 
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Notes

  1. 1.
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Copyright information

© Miguel Bandeira Jerónimo 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  • Miguel Bandeira Jerónimo
    • 1
  1. 1.Institute of Social SciencesUniversity of LisbonPortugal

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