"Slavery has always existed" is not a compelling argument against reparations or addressing racial injustice in the United States.

 "Slavery has always existed" is not a compelling argument against reparations or addressing racial injustice in the United States. Yes, it’s true that forms of slavery have existed across many societies throughout history. But what matters in this context is not the fact that slavery existed elsewhere — it's the specific legacy of chattel slavery as practised in the United States, and the ongoing impact it has on African Americans today.

The key point is that American slavery was not some vague historical inconvenience. It was a foundational institution that built the early economy of the United States — through free labour that generated massive wealth for white landowners and the country at large, while black Americans were systematically excluded from the benefits. And after slavery ended, the injustice didn’t stop. It evolved into Jim Crow laws, redlining, mass incarceration, voter suppression, underfunded schools in black neighbourhoods, and discriminatory policing and employment practices — all of which have helped entrench a massive racial wealth and opportunity gap.

So when people bring up the fact that "slavery existed in Africa too" or "other people were slaves," it's a distraction from the real question: What happened after slavery in America, and how is it still shaping people's lives today?

Reparations are not about punishing white people or holding modern individuals personally responsible for the sins of their ancestors. They’re about repairing systemic damage that is still very much present. It’s the same principle we use when a government compensates veterans, disaster victims, or even businesses harmed by poor policy — not because anyone is trying to assign moral guilt, but because restitution is how a just society tries to correct past wrongs when the consequences still linger.

To this day, the median wealth of a white family in the U.S. is nearly 7 times that of a black family. That didn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of generations of racial discrimination, some of it codified into law, some of it perpetuated through biased institutions.

So if we’re serious about equality and liberty — the core American values — then reparations should be seen not as an act of division, but as an effort to finally live up to the promise of justice for all.