Introduction
Although it is an indelible stigma on the history of one of the strongholds of modern democracy, slaver is an imprescriptible part of the United States history. By the beginning of the American struggle for independence against the colonial British powers, slavery became institutionalized practice of the early American society (Boston). Even after the basic tenets of the American democracy were established by the Founding Fathers, the overwhelming majority of the colored population was depraved of the most basic civil rights and subjects to the harshest forms of labor and other exploitation. Despite the fact that responding to the contribution of the African Americans made to the American campaign for independence, the Northern states started enacting the abolitionist laws their Southern counterparts were reluctant to emancipate the slaves. This was the main cause, which split the newly born society, as well as it determined the modern dimensions of social strife in the country (Fresia 192).
Overall, despite the fact that the United States of America was one of the first states in the world to stop this barbaric practice, the existence of serfdom inflicted serious impacts on the United States political, social and economic orders. Many notable commentators argued that slavery was one of the main causes of fundamental transformations of the American society. Thus, among the main point in these regard are that the todays racial composition of the American society has been heavily influenced by the significant slave population (estimates show that from 12 to 14% of the today’s American citizens are the descendants of former slaves). Secondly, there are strong arguments stating that the problem of slavery led to civil war, subsequent period of Reconstruction, the laws of Jim Crow and other segregation policies, and, most importantly a civil rights movement of Martin Luther King and other notable advocates of egalitarianism of the American society.
Finally, several prominent analysts point out to the fact that slavery is main cause of racism (Bolton; Kirwan). Thus, the ideas that the Americans of African origin are physically and mentally inferior to the American inhabitants of Caucasian origin. In fact, early American and German scholars created these theories to justify slavery as an essential economic mechanism (Mosss, Evan & Moss 29). Sanctioned by the Christian church, the conceptions of racial inferiority became one of the dominant toolkits for justifying exploitation and discrimination of the Black Americas.
Even today, when the notorious Jim Crow laws are no longer in force and racial discrimination is a good cause for a trial, some critics often use the 18th century arguments to prove that the African Americans are genetically predisposed to violent behavior, and, therefore, should be subjected to special regulatory regime (Kirwan).
The purpose of this research is to demonstrate how the practice of slavery impacted the evolution and transformation of the American community. Specifically, it seeks to analyze both the positive and the negative aspects of this complex phenomenon, arguing that although it increased the gap between the different races in the country, it also made the American people really American. Specifically, it is slavery and its outcomes, which tempered the society during by the Abolitionist and the Civil Rights movement, and forged a nation, which is always fully alerted to fight off the slightest infringements of their liberties.
Slavery in the America
In his comprehensive historical overview, Nicholas Boston emphasizes that the economic conditions of the slaves and their ancestors were determined by their legal ‘enslaved’ status. Even though some slaves, especially in the large cities, enjoyed some degree of freedom, they belonged to the most destitute parts of the community (Boston). The legal order of those times made it illegal for the slaves to be engaged in any forms of paid labor and to own property. Furthermore, enslaved ranks of the society were deprived of the most basic freedoms and liberties. Neither could they freely move across the country, nor were they capable of choosing a spouse, bringing up their children etc. As a result of this order, the slaves were totally dependent on their masters in all aspects (Boston). The owners provided them will all basic necessities and insistently reminded them of their dependence and inferiority.
At the same time, it is important to highlight that different categories of slaves in the United States enjoyed different statuses. To be more specific, in the urban areas the slaves had much better living conditions than the ones, who worked on the plantations. The labor performed by the urban slaves was considerably less arduous (Fresia 18). However, there were no legal discrepancies between the two groups, although the emancipation processes was speeder in the cities.
The Impacts of Slavery on transformation of the American society
The most important theoretical impact of slavery in the United States is the creation of the doctrine of paternalism. Rejecting the ideas of inherent personal liberties and freedoms, which proliferated at the end of the nineteenth century because of elegant rhetoric and writings of John Stuart Mill, the scholars developed a set of ideas, which justified the restrictions of the natural rights and liberties by the beneficent intentions of those, who have superior positions in the social hierarchy (Ayers 57).
This theory viewed slavery not as a form of labor and personal exploitation, but as the act of assuming responsibility of and providing care of the less fortunate people. Because the theorists viewed African Americans as the people with poorly developed mental capacities, the use of ‘responsible dominion’ of the well-educated, wealthy and resourceful white masters was justified. Furthermore, they provided solid arguments in favor of the excruciating physical tortures, which were posited not as punishments for wrongful conduct and deterrents of undesirable behavior, but mainly as the important and highly effective corrective and educative mechanism (Berlin 82).
Yet, the proliferation of paternalism backfired. Although it was heartily embraced by the plantation owners and the clerics, it faced serious resistance among the American intellectuals and politicians. In other words, it provoked critical thinking, which gradually became one of the key distinctive features of the American business and political people. While the slave owners advocated that their ‘patronage’ over the African Americans was necessary for economic prosperity of the country and personal development of the slaves, the abolitionists decided to question their arguments. In particular, they emphasized that the influx into the free labor force can reinforce the American economy better. Thomas Jefferson and William Lloyd Garrison were among the first to understand that free people are better incentivized to contribute to the nascent American economy, not to mention that making everyone equal was the best way to increase the number of loyal and committed American patriots, who were always ready to fight off any external and internal dangers. Yet, the essence of this argument is not that paternalism was vehemently opposed, or that the slavery was eventually abolished – it taught the American people to analyze any multifaceted social dilemma in the most effective way, and to develop the most productive solution.
The second dimension of transformation is considerably more injurious to the society. Thus, because the capitalism takes its roots in the early agricultural American economy, the economic and educational gap between the newly freed African Americans and other members of the community was significant. Despite the enactment of various social welfare programs, this trend persists nowadays (Berlin 101). The studies show that in accordance with The Henry J. Haiser Family Foundation 26% of the people of African and Hispanic origin live beyond the poverty line in the United States.
Finally, social remnants of slavery were enshrined in the Jim Crow segregation laws (Ayers 59). Racial inferiority arguments were extensively used by the proponents of those discriminatory practices – the key rationale of segregation was that it was insulting for the White Americans to be physically present near their colored compatriots. However, in close similarity to the Abolitionist movement, the community took a very opposite stance. Although many people supported the segregation policies, the majority of the Black and the White Americans united and vividly demonstrated their national solidarity by decrying the discriminatory laws imposed by the state. Slavery and segregation were the catalysts that pushed the development the American civil rights movement to its natural heights, illustrating that the people will not tolerate the regime of internal political occupation. Whatever justifications may be used by the government to restrict the people’s rights, the American citizens are always on guard to defend them.
Conclusions
Works Cited
Assigned Course Readings
Chapter 1 Society in Transition cited as
Moss, George, Evan A Thomas, and George Moss. America Since 1900. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008. Print.
Web-based article Slavery and the making of America cited as:
“Boston, Nicholas. “The slave experience: Living Conditions. Historical Overview. Slavery and the Making of America”. Web. 2016. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/experience/living/history.html”
A Constitution that disrespects its people cited as:
Fresia, Gerald John. Toward An American Revolution. Boston, MA: South End Press, 1988. Print.
Other Relevant Sources
Ayers, Edward L. "The American Civil War, Emancipation, and Reconstruction on the World Stage," OAH Magazine of History, 20, 1, 54–60. Print
Berlin, Ira, et al. Remembering slavery : African Americans talk about their personal experiences of slavery and emancipation. New York New York: New Press W.W. Norton distributor, 2007. Print.
Fresia, Gerald John. Toward An American Revolution. Boston, MA: South End Press, 1988. Print.
Kirwan, Jim. Slavery Transformed America: Part three – the seeds of destruction. 2009. Web. Retrieved from http://www.rense.com/general88/slavery.htm
The Henry J. Haiser Family Foundation. “Poverty Rate by Race/Ethnicity”. Web. Available at: http://kff.org/other/state-indicator/poverty-rate-by-raceethnicity/
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