What compensation did slave owners receive upon the abolition of slavery?

The correct compensation amount that slave owners received upon the abolition of slavery in the British Empire was 20 million pounds, a sum allocated through the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833. While the specified choices provide figures less than this total, the focus is on understanding the significance of the compensation system.

The compensation was intended to ease the economic impact on slave owners who were losing their "property" as a result of abolition. The payments made to slave owners were based on the number of enslaved individuals they held, with the amounts varying depending on the location and the size of their holdings.

The rationale behind providing compensation was to facilitate the transition away from slavery and to acknowledge the financial interests tied to enslaved labor. This policy demonstrates the wider socio-economic implications of abolition, highlighting how the financial support was directed towards those who had benefited from the institution of slavery rather than to the formerly enslaved individuals themselves.

The other options present a range of figures that do not align with the amount that was actually set aside for compensation, allowing for a deeper understanding of the context and the magnitude of state involvement in compensating slave owners.