Why did plantation owners bring workers from India and China to Martinique after 1848?

Following the abolition of slavery in 1848, plantation owners in Martinique began importing workers from India and China primarily to avoid paying high labor costs.1

This practice was part of a broader system of indentured labor that surged globally after the slave trade was outlawed and slavery was abolished in the 19th century. By entering into contracts with these laborers, plantation owners sought a reliable and inexpensive source of workforce to replace the labor previously provided by enslaved people. While these workers ostensibly entered into agreements voluntarily, the system was frequently characterized by coercion, fraud, and harsh working conditions that often mirrored the severity of slavery.21