Slavery- A Positive Good PDF

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Ashlyn Hoggard 11/15/17 American Political Theory Dr. Amy Buzby Is Slavery A Positive Good? “There never has yet existed a wealthy and civilized society in which one portion of the community did not, in point of fact, live on the labor of the other.” John C. Calhoun is widely known for his “positive good” speech where he spoke in favor of slavery in the United States. He was a political theorist from South Carolina and the seventh Vice President of the United States. If you take a step back and look at the big picture, it is not necessarily a bad thing. While the majority of the people were against the institution, we can look back and see several benefits, along with its historical importance. Slave labor was the foundation of the economy. The argument of the slave era was that the farms and plantations could not be economical without the implementation of slave labor. The land owners paid little to nothing on a one-time fee to literally purchase a slave worker. The slaves were very rarely, mostly never, monetarily compensated for their work, therefore the owner reaped all of the profits from the work done. Without these workers, the cotton, tobacco, and rice industries would fail, and the subsequent depression would impact the entire nation. No one could predict what exactly would be the outcome if the slaves were freed, but many feared widespread chaos due to a rise in public population while the amount of jobs available on the market remained constant. Unemployment would skyrocket, leading to a rise in the number of homeless. Without the bonds of slavery, the blacks would have found themselves members of the lowest classes, struggling more so than they were. On that note, history shows us how, once the

slaves were actually freed, many remained in the same place, working for the same people, just with the benefit of freedom. Calhoun once noted, “Never before has the black race of Central Africa, from the dawn of history to the present day, attained a condition so civilized and so improved, not only physically, but morally and intellectually." Sure, the slaves were taken from their homeland, but they were offered a more ideal life in the United States. Rather than living in desolate Africa, the slaves were provided several amenities in exchange for their work. The slaves lived in houses, often with their families. They were given clothing and food on the table. Some were even offered a small education by the more sympathetic whites. When compared to the poor, the sick, the mentally ill, and even the American lower working class, the slaves had it made. Their owners would protect and care for them when they were sick, unlike the working class who would be easily fired and replaced. Once fired, they were left with nothing. The slave owners needed those working hands to help keep their businesses afloat, therefore they made sure their slaves were in good health. There may be horror stories of slave treatment, but there are also several, more notable, stories of owners accepting their slaves as part of the family. Why? The answer is always money. In the South, a healthy and good working slave would cost anywhere from $500 to $1000. Slaves were valuable. The wiser of the owners would treat their slaves well and assist in nursing them back to health in the hopes of exchange for harder work and, thus, more profits. The common worker, however, could simply be thrown aside when sick or injured, and the company would suffer no losses. Every good argument includes a touch on the opposing side’s views. So, why is slavery bad? The biggest issue is how inhumane and unethical it can be. It all started with removing the slaves from their home and bringing them to a foreign place around a completely different set of

people. Many did not even make it to the United States, as they fell ill and passed away on the journey. To throw in my rebuttal, let me say again how the living conditions they were provided here were better than that of back home. Once arrived, they were immediately put to work involving long days of hard labor. In return, they were granted those basic necessities of food, shelter, and clothing previously mentioned. Much attention has been drawn to the unethical treatment of the slaves. While I cannot justify beating, whipping, etcetera to punish a slave-a human-I can bring to light the owners who treated their slaves like family. There are several accounts of owners giving their slaves special treatment and bonuses. Those who posed as nannies for the children were especially respected in the households, as they were the ones who spent the majority of the time with the children. Overall, slavery is not the ideal way of life. There is a reason it is no longer around. However, taking some of Calhoun’s arguments into account, I believe it could be a positive good if it was implemented properly. The positive form of slavery is what I would consider farm hands. They have a place to live on property and work long hard days. They are given payment for their work, though, as well as the freedom to come and go as they please. There is simply an understanding and exchange of respect between the land owner and the worker. Slavery was beneficial to the economy in its time, but it is not needed today. While I do see the benefits of the institution, I am glad it is not still around today....