In 1807 the total number of slaves in the West Indies was estimated to be 800, 000 but by 1830 this number had already fallen to approximately 700, 000.
Just four years later on August 1, another significant blow was dealt to the plantation labour force. The British Parliament on August 1, 1834 abolished the slave system, although the all the slaves did not have "full free" the planters still encountered labour problems. One obvious problem was that all children under six years were to be immediately freed. This meant that there was no easy way for the planter to replenish his labour force if he could not use his slaves' offspring. What further added to the planters' woes was that now although the slaves were still obligated to work on the plantation, they now had to be paid. This significantly cut in to the planters' already dwindling profits.
As previously stated, the slaves though emancipated were not given "full free." The British Parliament in an attempt to satisfy the plantocracy while simultaneously preventing chaos, designed a system of apprenticeship. This system was to give the society inclusive of the plantocracy, an opportunity to put affairs in order. This included passing of new laws to deal with the freed slaves as well as finding a way of establishing a steady source of labour after "full free." This system was also needed according to the British Parliament, to teach the slaves the "habits of industry," in an effort to prevent the slaves from returning to primitive behavior. There was an existing belief among the white population that if the slaves were immediately released they would have returned to "bush life" and in addition to this being barbaric, it would have had a devastating effect on the labour force.
Under the system of apprenticeship all field workers were to work for their former masters for a further six years, while all others were to be freed after a period of four years.
