Profits often ran as high as two or three hundred percent, and were an important part of the European economy.

These profits provided much of the capital which helped to spur on the industrial revolution.
When Queen Elizabeth, in 1562, heard that one of her subjects, John Hawkins, had become involved in the slave trade, she was very critical and commented that he would have to pay a very high price for dealing in human lives.

However, when she was confronted with a copy of his profit ledger, her moral indignation softened, and she quickly became one of the members of the corporation.

Some merchants were hit hard by the risks accompanying the slave trade and suffered financial disaster.

The possible profits were so high, however, that other merchants were always eager to venture into this field and new capital was ever lacking.
The industrial revolution, which was partly financed by the slave trade, eventually abolished the need for slavery.