Sir Isaac Newton’s financial ties to the transatlantic slave trade are deeper than previously understood, according to Nat Dyer’s book Ricardo’s Dream. While renowned for his groundbreaking theory of gravity, Newton’s role as master of the Royal Mint (1696–1727) placed him at the center of gold production rooted in enslaved labor.
During Newton’s tenure, the mint processed vast quantities of gold from Brazil, mined by enslaved Africans under Portuguese control. “I show, in part with his own correspondence, digitised by the Newton Project, that he benefited from gold primarily from Brazil mined by enslaved peoples,” Dyer explained. As master of the mint, Newton profited from a small fee on every coin minted. Despite losing heavily in a stock market crash, he amassed significant wealth, earning modern-day equivalents of £1.26 million annually by 1702.
Evidence from Newton’s correspondence corroborates these claims. A 1701 note confirmed, “We can have no bullion but from the West Indies [South and Central America] belonging to Spain and Portugal,” while a 1717 letter described England as “full of Gold” from Portuguese trade. Dyer stated, “He was at the very centre of this gold rush. The more gold that poured into the Tower of London, the richer he got.”
Newton’s financial dealings were also tied to other ventures linked to slavery. Dr. Patricia Fara, author of Life After Gravity, highlighted his investment in the South Sea Company, a major slave-trading enterprise, and collaborations with the East India Company. “Newton was more culpable than some and far less culpable than others,” Fara noted, emphasizing the pervasive role of slavery in 18th-century Britain.
Historians like Prof. Leonardo Marques underscore that Newton’s connections were unsurprising. “Everyone involved with banking and finance in early 18th-century Britain... was somehow connected to the history of slavery,” Marques said. While Newton’s scientific contributions remain unparalleled, Dyer argues his financial entanglements reveal his complicity in the exploitative systems of his era, adding nuance to his legacy. “Even the greatest scientists are part of their time,” Dyer reflected.
Link: The Guardian
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