Justifying slavery Flashcards
The deceleration of independance
“We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness- That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the goverened.”
Claim “all men are created equal” yet black people are not worth the same- this point becomes the founding point of emancipation, that they claim to be fair and equal but are not.
Whereas in antiquity only like male Athenian citizens have rights
Thomas Jefferson on Slavery Letter to John Holmes, 1820:
“I can say, with conscious truth, that there is not a man on earth who would sacrifice more than I would to relieve us from this heavy reproach [i.e. slavery’), in any practicable way. The cession of that kind of property, for so it is misnamed, is a bagatelle which would not cost me a second thought, if, in that way, a general emancipation and expatriation could be effected; and, gradually, and with due sacrifices, I think it might be. But as it is, we have the wolf by the ears, and we can neither hold him, nor safely let him go.”
Jefferson claims he is against slavery, but he owned 600 slaves and had children with Sally Hemmining, a slave of his
Shows how politics plays apart i guess or that he either lacked the balls or was fake
Fredrick Douglas (1818-1895).
“‘What to a Slave is the 4th of July?”
My subject, then, fellow-citizens, American slavery shall see this day and its popular characteristics from the slave’s point of view. Standing there identified with the American bondman, making his wrongs mine, I do not hesitate to declare, with all my soul, that the character and conduct of this nation never looked blacker to me than on this 4th of July! Whether we turn to the declarations of the past, or to the professions of the present, the conduct of the nation seems equally hideous and revolting.
He was an educated escaped slave and he preached how he stood with the Declaration of Independence, here he is highlighting the irony of independence day, how they don’t see how messed up it is they have slaves.
(Aristotle, Politics, 125520-30).
There are others… who regard the control of slaves by a master as contrary to nature. In their view the distinction of master and slave is due to law or convention; there is no natural difference between them; the relation of master and slave is based on force, and being so has no warrant in justice.
only potential reference to ancient abolitionism, he claims that slaves are humans too basically and the only difference is power aka force
Seneca, Epistle 49,
I am glad to learn, through those who come from you, that you live on friendly terms with your slaves. This befits a sensible and well-educated man like yourself. “They are slaves,” people declare. Nay, rather they are men. “‘Slaves!” No, comrades Kindly remember that he whom you call your slave sprang from the same stock, is smiled upon by the same skies, and on equal terms with yourself breathes, lives, and dies (10) this is the kernel of my advice: Treat your inferiors as you would be treated by your betters. And as often as you reflect how much power you have over a slave, remember that your master has just as much power over you (1 1).
again preaching for better treatment of slaves, being humans and children of Zeus, not trying to abolish slavery though
(Epictetus, Diatribes, 1.13).
How then shall a man endure such persons as this slave? Slave yourself, will you not bear with your brother, who has Zeus for his progenitor, and is like a son from the same seed and of the same descent from above? But if you have been put in any such higher place, will you immediately make yourself a tyrant? Will you not remember who you are, and whom you rule? that they are kinsmen, that they are brethren by nature, that they are the offspring of Zeus? —But I have purchased them, and they have not purchased me. Do you see in what direction
you are looking, that it is towards the earth, towards the pit, that it is towards these wretched laws of dead men? But you are not looking towards the laws of the gods.
Epictetus was a freed man who was not preaching abolition but better treatment, or the acknowledgement that slaves are humans too- similar to Aristotle and in a way Fredrick his being they are all in country with declaration of independence and here is is all children of Zeus etc
Bradley, K. “‘Seneca and Slavery”, in J. G. Fitch ed., Seneca. P. 336.
“[Seneca’s] apparently generous treatment of slaves advocated was essentially self- serving, no matter what the degree of self-consciousness concerned.”
he claims that seneca only suggests the better treatment of slaves as it meant that they were better and more loyal workers, this is seen in other areas of Seneca’s Epistle
(Epistle 49, 4-5).
The slaves of former days, who were permitted to converse not only in their master’s presence, but actually with him, whose mouths were not stitched up tight, were ready to bare their necks for their master, to bring upon their own heads any danger that threatened him; they spoke at the feast, but kept silence during torture. Finally, the saying, in allusion to this same highhanded treatment, becomes current: “‘As many enemies as you have slaves.” They are not enemies when we acquire them; we make them enemies.
argument that Seneca was only preaching better treatment of slaves as it benefitted them
The New Testament
Colossians 4.1 :
Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
Christians arguing that everyone is basically a slave to the lord thus treat those you are a master to with the same treatment you expect
The New Testament
Timothy 6. I :
All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2: Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare(a] of their slaves.
again christian stuff saying that slaves should respect them as children of god maybe?
The New Testament
Ephesians 6.5-7:
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6: Obey them not only to win their favour vånen their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7: Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people.
christians saying that slaves should work for their masters the same way they would work for god
Xenophon’s Economics
If I learn of [slaves] who are induced to be honest not only because of the advantages they gain through being honest, but because of a desire to be praised by me, I treat them as if they were free men, not only do I make them wealthy, but I even honour them as if they were gentlemen.
highlights the better treatment in antiquity of honest slaves, this is reflected in Odyssey and then can be compared to US slavery
Xenophon’s Economics
By applying some of these laws…and by adding other enactments from the laws of the kings of Persia, I attempt to make my slaves honest in their handling of property. For the former laws only contain penalties for wrongdoers, but the laws of the kings not only penalize the dishonest, but also reward the honest.
Xenophon is rewarding slaves for good work and also mentions making life harder for those that are dishonest
Xenophon Economics 9.12-13:
We trained [our tamia] to be loyal to us by giving her a share in our joy when we were happy and, if we had any trouble, we called on her to share it too. We trained her to be eager to improve the estate by taking her into our confidence and by giving her a share in our success. We instilled a sense of justice into [our tamia], by giving more honour to the just [slaves] than to the unjust [slaves) and showing her that the just live lives that are richer and better suited to a free citizen than the unjust.
claims he treats good slaves well, and bad slaves have hard time. Good slaves live almost like freedmen according ti his methods
Aristotle (Politics 1254b.1 6-21).
Those who are as different (from other men] as the soul from the body or man from beast—and they are in this state if their work is the use of the body, and if this is the best that can come from them—are slaves by nature. For them it is better to be ruled in accordance with this sort of rule, if such is the case for the other things mentioned
Aristotle is saying here that some people need slavery and are slaves in nature
US argument
