Comerciar con la sangre de nuestros hermanos: early abolitionist discourses in Spain's empire

The proposal of Agustín de Argüelles to abolish the slave trade in 1811 was crucial in defining a new ideological stance within the Spanish political debate by adopting the moral condemnation elaborated by the British abolitionist movement. His initiative was the result of a coordinated strategy with the British authorities and was key in the construction of early abolitionist discourses in Spain. This article explores the political, ideological and diplomatic influence of Britain in the development of early anti-slavery and anti-slave trade discourses in Spain and the centrality of Argüelles' proposal.