Mudsill Theory Essay - Grade: A PDF

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First required Essay, Lauren Nuckols Philosophy 150 Fall 2018...

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James Henry Hammond’s Mudsill theory is an extremely flawed justification for the existence of slavery. Hammond’s theory relies on the idea that Africans are lesser, almost subhuman beings, and that living as slaves in America is better than living free Africa. In Hammond’s words, Africans “are elevated from the condition in which God first created them, by being made our slaves.” The ideas presented by Hammond range from extremely prejudiced opinions to factually incorrect statements. Mudsill theory is offensive to people of African descent in many ways and something that no reasonable person would see as acceptable today. It it is a very easy to dismiss theory, but we can also learn from analyzing the reasons presented by it why Hammond believed it to be a good justification for slavery, and better understand the justifications given in the 1800s for holding such racial prejudices. Hammond’s argument in mudsill theory at its core is that in society we must have a lower class for the upper class to rely on. Hammond suggests that this lower class should be enslaved Africans because according to him they are a race inferior to the whites and only fit to be slaves in America. Hammond believes that the labor performed by slaves is too menial and tedious to be performed by white people. Hammond believes that white people and only white people make up a “class which leads progress, civilization, and refinement.” This belief is based in a deep prejudice against Africans, likely based in now disproven race science which suggests that black people will always be of far lower intellect than white people. Hammond’s mudsill theory relies largely on the idea that the black race is without exception inferior to the white race. He

suggests that one race should universally be regarded as a lower class than the other, and that we cannot allow the Africans to hold a position at all elevated above slaves. Another argument Hammond makes in his Mudsill theory is that there are issues in the north because of the lack of slaves. He suggests that white people doing jobs that would be done by slaves in the south is harmful. Hammond also suggests that allowing the lower class to have political power will lead to society crumbling and governments being overthrown because the lower class will realize they can actually make a difference. This is an offensive belief not only to Africans, but to all members of lower classes, because it suggests that they should be complacent with their position below others in society, even though if they could change it they would. This idea is somewhat contradictory of itself, because it suggests that if we were to give slaves the right to vote but keep them in their lower class position, they would rise up against the government which allows them to be enslaved, even though earlier Hammond suggested that slaves are happier as slaves than they would be as free citizens. It does not seem logical to say that these people are better off as slaves, yet if they were given political power they would take down the institution that allows them to be enslaved. James Henry Hammond’s mudsill theory is, for the most part, a weakly justified idea that depends on prejudices and very biased information to be true. Mudsill theory cannot be believed in the way that Hammond describes it without holding prejudices against people of other races, and relies heavily on factually incorrect and highly prejudiced ideas to support it. Mudsill theory is nothing more than an excuse to keep Africans below whites, and is best left in the past.

CItations Hammond, James Henry. “The ‘Mudsill’ Theoory.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h3439t.html....