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Aggregate statistics on trafficker-destination relations in the Atlantic slave trade

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  • Franses, Ph.H.B.F.
  • van den Heuvel, W.

Abstract

The available aggregated data on the Atlantic slave trade in between 1519 and 1875 concern the numbers of slaves transported by a country and the numbers of slaves who arrived at various destinations (where one of the destinations is “deceased”). It is however unknown how many slaves, at an aggregate level, were transported to where and by whom, that is, we know the row and column totals, but we do not known the numbers in the cells of the matrix. In this paper we use a simple mathematical technique to fill in the void. It allows us to estimate the trends in the deceases per transporting country, and also to estimate the fraction of slaves who went to own colonies or to others. For example, we estimate that of all the slaves who were transported by the Dutch only about 7 percent went to Dutch colonies, whereas for the Portuguese this number is about 37 percent.

Suggested Citation

  • Franses, Ph.H.B.F. & van den Heuvel, W., 2018. "Aggregate statistics on trafficker-destination relations in the Atlantic slave trade," Econometric Institute Research Papers EI2018-21, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Erasmus School of Economics (ESE), Econometric Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:ems:eureir:112486
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robin Haines & Ralph Shlomowitz, 2000. "Explaining the mortality decline in the eighteenth-century British slave trade," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 53(2), pages 262-283, May.
    2. Hogerzeil, Simon J. & Richardson, David, 2007. "Slave Purchasing Strategies and Shipboard Mortality: Day-to-Day Evidence from the Dutch African Trade, 1751–1797," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 67(1), pages 160-190, March.
    3. Haines, Robin & McDonald, John & Shlomowitz, Ralph, 2001. "Mortality and Voyage Length in the Middle Passage Revisited," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 503-533, October.
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