This work investigates the profound and enduring impact of the Atlantic slave trade on the development of British society, economy, and culture. James Walvin, a distinguished historian of slavery, utilizes extensive archival research and economic data to argue that the wealth generated by the slave trade was foundational to the rise of modern Britain. He examines how the commodification of human beings, referred to as 'black ivory,' permeated every level of British life, from the ports of Liverpool and Bristol to the consumer habits of the burgeoning middle class.

This text is widely regarded as a foundational academic resource for understanding the structural role of slavery in British history. The research provides a comprehensive and sobering account of how the slave trade shaped the modern world through its economic and social legacies.