[sertsa]

They weren't kidnapped. 90% were purchased from black Africans in Africa and then brought here. The slave trade had been going on internally in Africa and into the middle east for centuries before the Europeans wanted cheap labor after finding the Americas. African nations profited immensely from the slave trade. The colonization of Africa did not occur until after the new world mostly abolished slavery.

This does not change the hand dealt to the people bought and brought to the New World however.

[aaronbeekay]

Hasn’t somebody who is born free and then later purchased and sold as a slave been kidnapped at some point, even if not by the person who is selling them at the international border?

I’m not well versed in the history of slave trade, but I would be curious to know what the relative economic benefit from slave trade was for African nations vs. the benefit of slave labor to purchasing nations.

[me_me_me]

Short term gain over long term gain.

Also I am guessing that the lack of industry was another factor. If you don't have profitable labour for slaves they you might end up loosing money.

As always if you don't know the reason its probably money.