Post Slavery Curacao

Slavery in the Caribbean was a very large industry.  With the growth of cash crop plantations through out the Caribbean, a large labor force was needed.  Curacao was no different.  The island of Curacao itself was used more as a market for goods throughout the Caribbean and as a slave depot.  The slaves that actually lived on the island mostly worked on food plantations that were used to grow food for the island's inhabitants and the large number of slaves on the island being held until their final destination could be determined.

Curacao had it's share of slave revolts, such as that of 1795 when Tula, the famous slave rebel of Curacao, led his revolt against the wealthy land owners of the island.  Despite this revolt, slavery would not end on Curacao until 1863, when King William III of the Netherlands emancipated all slaves in the Dutch Empire.  Slaves numbering nearly 6,700 were granted their freedom on the island of Curacao.  The former slaves would be free in decree but their lives would be changed very little.

This emancipation would lead to the foundation of the "paga-tera," or "pay for the land" system that allowed the former slaves to continue to work on their current plantations in exchange for a small parcel of land, some goods, and a small salary.  The best similar example of this system is that of the post American Civil War system of sharecropping.  This system would eventually lead to an over abundance of workers in the "paga-tera" system as the plantations were not as profitable without the use of slave labor forcing many former slaves out of work. 

Curacao's economy stayed in a steady decline after the slaves were freed, as Curacao's main source of income was that from the slave trade.  This led to an exodus of former slaves off the island to other islands in the Caribbean to find work.  In the greatest example, between 1917 and 1920, 2,500 slave descendents left the island to go work in the sugar fields of Cuba.  Despite the exodus, the "paga-tera" system would remain until the early 20th century. 

Curacao's situation after emancipation of its slaves was not unlike that of many Caribbean islands.  It's newly freed population found itself almost in the same situation it was in before.  They had very little opportunity to better themselves in the system that replaced that of slavery.  Curacao's economy suffered as a consequence and many freed peoples immigrated from the island.

Sources:

2008. Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao Alive Guide, 3rd ed. [electronic resource]. [S.l.] : Hunter Publishing, Inc., 2008., 2008. University of Alabama Libraries’ Classic Catalog, EBSCOhost (accessed November 19, 2011).

Caribseek Curacao.   http://www.caribseek.com/Curacao/curacao-history-the-slave-trade.shtml