Jasmin Keller
Reaction Paper 2
10/15/14
History 205 – Slavery in the United States
keljc-17@rhodes.edu
Reaction Paper 2
10/15/14
History 205 – Slavery in the United States
keljc-17@rhodes.edu
Slavery heavily shaped life in the Southern parts of the
United States both for slaves and slaveholders. The institution of slavery was the
driving force of the economy and enabled manufacturers to easily outbid the
prices of their counterparts in the North as they did not have to pay their
workers. Slaves’ contribution to the economy was quite complex, not only did
they serve as a commodity in which their owners’ wealth was measured, but they
also produced commodities themselves. Besides the economy, slavery was also a
main part of the Southern society. Just as the economy, slavery’s part of societal
life was rather complex for each party involved, those who were enslaved and
those who enslaved others.
Commodification
runs like a common theme through the history of slavery. From being capture in
Africa to the arrival in the colonies, slaves underwent emotionally, physically
and psychological trauma in order to deprive them of their humanity and turn
them into objects. Although slaves always remained persons, the concept of
being an object and subject became very obvious in the concept of paternalism
that was a predominant phenomenon of the antebellum period. Peter Kolchin
writes in his book “American slavery” that “slaves owners strove both to
protect their property interests and to create an order that conformed to their
notions of morality and benevolence”[1] The result was quite
paradoxical, as slavery became more protective as well as more restrictive at
the same time. [2]
As
slaves were totally dependent on their masters, abuse was omnipresent. For the
masters, the arbitrary power in their relations with slaves that was responsible
for abuse was no reason for concern. In fact, the potential for abuse was more
worrisome and overall the common belief was that the system itself, and those
who profited from it, were good and that abuse was not prevalent.[3]
It comes as no surprise that the slaves’ perspective
was entirely different. The powerlessness of slaves and the arbitrariness in
the relation with their masters was obvious in their everyday lives. They had
to live with the constant fear that they, or family members could be sold at
the slave market, leading to a permanent separation from their loved ones. Although
the concept of paternalism involves caring and providing for slaves as if they
were the master’ own children, these incidents make it clear that they were
also still considered property. There were other occasions that separated slave
families, but sales were the most drastic ones. Even though many masters did
not want to split families up, they didn’t hesitate to do so when it “’made
sense’ or was ‘necessary’ for masters with the best of intentions to separate
their slaves”.[4]
Another interesting aspect about master-slave
relationship are the distorted and glorified picture and expectation potential
slave owners had of their lives as masters. Walter Johnson argues that “the
slave market held dreams of transformative possibilities”.[5] He goes on by saying that “they
dreamed of beating and healing and sleeping with slaves; sometimes they even
dreamed that their slaves would love them. They imagined who they could be by
thinking about whom they could buy”.[6] Slaves served as means to
improve status. At the same time, having slaves also meant that more work could
be done more efficiently. Again, slavery presents itself as a multilayered
institution. Owning slaves meant power and being one step closer to becoming
part of the high society merely by being able to purchase slaves. Slaves,
however, also actively contributed to the economic and social upswing of their
masters. They were commodities producing other commodities.
Slavery was a fundamental and complex institution that
shaped life in the South in various ways. For (wannabe) slave owners,
purchasing and possessing slaves meant economic independence and the
possibility of accessing a better social class. Their fantasies of being a
slave owner often times differed from reality, as they frequently failed to
consider that slaves were individuals with their thoughts and free will, ready
to resist. Slavery remained largely invisible but had a tremendous effect on
life in the South. Lives of both masters and slaves were constructed of
slavery. For slaves, this also meant the constant fear of abuse, separation from
their families and complete dependence on their masters.
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