Originally published as a collection in 2006, the essays in this volume discuss the reasons for the end of the slave trade and the institution of slavery itself. They examine the rise of the abolitionist movement in different countries and how the move towards abolition was swifter in some areas than others. Attention is also paid to the economic consequences of abolition, popular attitudes to abolition and the role of the Church. The volume also has an introduction by the editor commenting on the contribution each essay makes.