Question about slavery

[ThePresence]

Was it more of an economic thing or more of a racialy motivated thing? I realize both elements were involved, but which one was the stronger factor?

Meaning, did the vast majority of slaveowners know that what they were doing was wrong but did it for economic reasons, or did they think that there was no problem at all with enslaving black people?

 

[iwearnosox]

It's all about the free labor.

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: Sifl
It's all about the free labor.

So they knew they were doing wrong?

 

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: Sifl
It's all about the free labor.

So they knew they were doing wrong?

Who is they?
Slavery has been around for a long, long time.

 

[iwearnosox]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: Sifl
It's all about the free labor.

So they knew they were doing wrong?

You're applying today's values to a different era. Was it wrong? Some thought it was, yes. Many didn't. Some had slaves even though they were ultimately opposed to it, like George Washington.

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: Sifl
It's all about the free labor.

So they knew they were doing wrong?

Who is they?
Slavery has been around for a long, long time.

I'm talking about the slavery of blacks in America before the civil war. I should have clarified.

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: Sifl

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: Sifl
It's all about the free labor.

So they knew they were doing wrong?

You're applying today's values to a different era. Was it wrong? Some thought it was, yes. Many didn't. Some had slaves even though they were ultimately opposed to it, like George Washington.

The vast majority of slaveowners. Did they think it was wrong, but did it anyway for the economic benefits, or did they actually not see a problem with enslaving other human beings.

 

[CubicZirconia]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: Sifl
It's all about the free labor.

So they knew they were doing wrong?

There were all sorts of proposed justifications for slavery. Many of them were biblical, one of the most popular being that Africans were decendents of Noah's evil son Ham, who was destined for a life of servitude. But in reality, slavery came down to economics. It wasn't a "we don't like Africans so lets enslave them" thing, it was more a "we're cheap so lets enslave someone to do our work for us" thing.

 

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: Sifl
It's all about the free labor.

So they knew they were doing wrong?

Who is they?
Slavery has been around for a long, long time.

I'm talking about the slavery of blacks in America before the civil war. I should have clarified.

I don't see why this incident is more important than the history of slavery as a whole.

They sold the slaves and used them for labor and sex. I would say highly economically motivated.

 

[iwearnosox]

Racism is bred. If you're brought up thinking slaves are a right and are not inherintly human then it's tough to feel it's wrong. Ultimately this was a catalyst for the civil war- people knew it was wrong.

Your lack of a specific period or group of people will make this the least ambiguous answer you'll get.

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: ThePresence
Was it more of an economic thing or more of a racialy motivated thing? I realize both elements were involved, but which one was the stronger factor?

Meaning, did the vast majority of slaveowners know that what they were doing was wrong but did it for economic reasons, or did they think that there was no problem at all with enslaving black people?

What you must understand is that at the time, there wasnt the technology we had today and that there was still a high demand for cotton products. Yes, slavery was horrible, but without it, what could the south do? Have cotton fields 1/10th of the size? Oh no! Where would the cotton come from then? I may be completely wrong, but did the north not get its cotton from the south? Did the north not depend on the economy of the south?

 

[slick230]

I'm just wondering when I'm going to get my bill to pay back the sins of my "forefathers"? :|

 

[ThePresence]

Okay, let me clarify, again. I'm not being clear.
OBVIOUSLY, they didn't enslave them just becuase they were black and because the slaveowners were bored. They did it for economic reasons. HERE'S the question: Did they KNOW it was wrong, or did they think there was no ethical problem with what they were doing.

 

How can anyone accurately answer that question?

 

[CubicZirconia]

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: Sifl
It's all about the free labor.

So they knew they were doing wrong?

Who is they?
Slavery has been around for a long, long time.

I'm talking about the slavery of blacks in America before the civil war. I should have clarified.

I don't see why this incident is more important than the history of slavery as a whole.

They sold the slaves and used them for labor and sex. I would say highly economically motivated.

Nobody is saying it's more important, he's probably asking about it because *gasp* he lives in the US. Don't be a prick.

Anways, to continue, it's really hard to say whether or not slave owners as a whole believed what they were doing was wrong. There were certainly dissenters that said slavery was wrong. Going as far back as Bartoleme de las casas you have Europeans (Spanish) standing up for the rights of non-Europeans (in this case Native Americans) who were being opressed. But you have to remember that there were lots and lots of ways for people to justify slavery away. Personally I'm inclined to believe that most slaveowners knew deep down that slavery was wrong, but it's really hard to say that as an absolute certainty.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: slick230
I'm just wondering when I'm going to get my bill to pay back the sins of my "forefathers"? :|

just wait. it will be soon.

but thats onother thread eh?

 

[iwearnosox]

Originally posted by: SampSon
How can anyone accurately answer that question?

No kidding. Let me dust off my titor? time machine and find out.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: Excelsior

Originally posted by: ThePresence
Was it more of an economic thing or more of a racialy motivated thing? I realize both elements were involved, but which one was the stronger factor?

Meaning, did the vast majority of slaveowners know that what they were doing was wrong but did it for economic reasons, or did they think that there was no problem at all with enslaving black people?

What you must understand is that at the time, there wasnt the technology we had today and that there was still a high demand for cotton products. Yes, slavery was horrible, but without it, what could the south do? Have cotton fields 1/10th of the size? Oh no! Where would the cotton come from then? I may be completely wrong, but did the north not get its cotton from the south? Did the north not depend on the economy of the south?

Cotton was an important export for the south. The north had become increasingly industrial in the decades leading up to the civil war, while the south depended on cotton for revenue and had developed comparably little manufacturing.

 

[slick230]

Originally posted by: ThePresence
Okay, let me clarify, again. I'm not being clear.
OBVIOUSLY, they didn't enslave them just becuase they were black and because the slaveowners were bored. They did it for economic reasons. HERE'S the question: Did they KNOW it was wrong, or did they think there was no ethical problem with what they were doing.

Well, seing as how NONE of those slave owners are alive today, I think it's going to be pretty hard to get an actual answer.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: ThePresence
Okay, let me clarify, again. I'm not being clear.
OBVIOUSLY, they didn't enslave them just becuase they were black and because the slaveowners were bored. They did it for economic reasons. HERE'S the question: Did they KNOW it was wrong, or did they think there was no ethical problem with what they were doing.

do you think its wrong to use a horse to plow a field? you have to remember many back then did not think blacks were real humans.

 

Originally posted by: Sifl

Originally posted by: SampSon
How can anyone accurately answer that question?

No kidding. Let me dust off my titor? time machine and find out.

Exactly.

Unintended flamebait hidden under a candycoated social issues shell.
next!

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: ThePresence
Okay, let me clarify, again. I'm not being clear.
OBVIOUSLY, they didn't enslave them just becuase they were black and because the slaveowners were bored. They did it for economic reasons. HERE'S the question: Did they KNOW it was wrong, or did they think there was no ethical problem with what they were doing.

Yeah..see..we can only really guess, since we can't poll every slaveowner from the 1800s since they are obviously dead.

Id think it would be safe to say that many of them had no problem with it, but I bet a few of the children growing up might have had a problem with it, but never said anything.

 

[CubicZirconia]

Originally posted by: Sifl

Originally posted by: SampSon
How can anyone accurately answer that question?

No kidding. Let me dust off my titor? time machine and find out.

It's called a hypothetical question.

 

[spliffstar69]

Originally posted by: Sifl
It's all about the free labor.

Cotton was the cash crop, America had a nice jump start with free labor.

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: Excelsior

Originally posted by: ThePresence
Was it more of an economic thing or more of a racialy motivated thing? I realize both elements were involved, but which one was the stronger factor?

Meaning, did the vast majority of slaveowners know that what they were doing was wrong but did it for economic reasons, or did they think that there was no problem at all with enslaving black people?

What you must understand is that at the time, there wasnt the technology we had today and that there was still a high demand for cotton products. Yes, slavery was horrible, but without it, what could the south do? Have cotton fields 1/10th of the size? Oh no! Where would the cotton come from then? I may be completely wrong, but did the north not get its cotton from the south? Did the north not depend on the economy of the south?

Cotton was an important export for the south. The north had become increasingly industrial in the decades leading up to the civil war, while the south depended on cotton for revenue and had developed comparably little manufacturing.

Of course the north had become increasingly industrial, but with that comes the textile industry. *ahem*