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George Fitzhugh, “Cannibals All! Slaves without masters”, 1857The text under study is an extract/excerpt from Cannibals All! Slaves without masters written by George Fitzhugh, an American social theorist, essayist and pamphleteer known for his racial argumentation supporting slavery. When it was published in 1857, the United States was on the verge of starting a Civil War due to regional divisions on the question of slavery. That same year, the Supreme Court ruled in the Dred Scott vs Sanford Decision that slaves could not sue their masters because African-Americans were denied their rights as citizens.Here Fitzhugh tries to demonstrate the difference between Northern free workers who he calls “white slaves” and African-American slaves in the South, insisting on the greater oppression of the first system. As surprising as it may seem to our contemporary minds, he sees the capitalist system in the North as more oppressive than slavery in the South. So we may thus wonder what his definition of freedom is and which arguments he uses to defend such a system.In a first part, we’ll study how he attacks the Northern capitalist system, in order to better praise the Southern system of slavery. Yet, despite his clearly racist undertones, Fitzhugh seems to be willing to defend and protect the oppressed ones in society.I-An attack of the Northern capitalist system1. The white slave trade Fitzhugh refers to free workers in the factories in the Northern states, as the white slave trade but there is no such thing ! He asserts that the free laborer “is more of a slave than the Negro”.2. Exhausted by workAccording to him, the free laborer is bound to work after his long grueling day because he has “to take care of himself and family”, and is “overburdened with the cares of family and household”.- “the free laborer must work or starve”- “works longer and harder for less allowance”The laborer lacks freedom, his freedom is “an empty and delusive mockery”The system is thus “more cruel” because the idea of freedom is fake and delusive.3. Cruelty, inhumanity of the Northern employeers The Northern employer is more cruel and exploitative, and he takes advantage of his workers so as to enjoy real freedom, as well as “the profits made by others’ labor”- “the wily and watchful capitalist is devising means to ensnare and exploit them”= cannot sleep- “allow free laborers the least possible portion of the fruits of their own labor”- “the smaller the allowance of the free laborer, the greater the gains of the employer”II – A defense of the Southern slave systemHe pictures/depicts/portrays an idealistic yet delusive slave system in the south-freedom“the Negro slave is free … when the labors of the day are over, and free in mind and body”-lack of constraint“the master provides food, ailment, house, furl and everything else necessary to the physical well-being of himself and family”-little work“children and the aged and infirm work not at all”, “the women do little hard work”work in good weather, not more than have their Sabbaths and holidays-comfort“have all the necessities granted by their masterswomen protected from the despotism of their husbands by their masters2.The Southern slave system is the best systemthe slaves= the only property worth owningit’s good to invest in labor “to give value to property”if you have money = invest in slaves III-Protection of the oppressedFitzhugh fights against the exploitation of the weakest:- Black people who are naturally weak:Racist undertones=black people cannot sustain themselves, are lazy: “Negroes luxuriate in corporeal and mental repose”, “they can sleep at any hour”-The poor exploited Northern workersFitzhugh opposes public opinion who protects the slave but encourages the oppression of free laborers. People don’t care about them because they generate more profit and money-making is seen as honorableThe exploitation of the free laborer seen as “a moral duty”He fiercely condemns the “selfishness of man’s nature” which he compares to cannibalism.ConclusionAs a Southerner, Fitzhugh clearly defends a pro-slavery stance for economic and political reasons. It is obvious that the economy of the South was heavily dependent on slavery and that its abolition was seen as a threat to Southern society. This document thus clearly attacks the Northern capitalist system, which tends to be defended by public opinion at the expense of slavery. Here, he considers that this system is more inhuman compared to the slaves’ living conditions in the South, despite the strong racist undertones, which are depicted as idealistic. Yet, interestingly, criticizing one system to defend another, Fitzhugh acts as the defender of the oppressed and weak beings, which is why some historians have seen him as an early socialist.John Fitzhugh’s The Universal Law of Slavery, 1850IntroductionThe text under study is an extract/excerpt from the Universal Law of Slavery written by George Fitzhugh, an American social theorist, essayist and pamphleteer known for his racial justification of slavery. When it was published in 1850, the United States was on the verge of starting a Civil War due to regional divisions on the question of slavery. The United States had admitted California as a new free state but had to accept in return a strengthening of the 1793 Fugitive Slave Act as part of the Compromise. Here Fitzhugh tries to defend a pro-slavery stance in order to justify the necessity to preserve this system in the South. Which arguments does he use?According to him, slaves were naturally inferior beings who need to be taken care of. So slavery is presented as necessary for their survival. The Southern system is thus the best system compared to the Northern capitalist system which exploits its workers.I – Natural inferiority of Black people“a grown up child”“improvident” = cannot plan ahead, lazinessA burden for societyWould be far outstripped or outwitted in the chaos of free competitionGradual but certain extermination would be their fateDefect of characterBarbarous way of life in AfricaWife murderersNegroes luxuriate in corporeal and mental reposeII – Slavery seen as a benefit for the slaveThe master = a parent or guardian= role of protectorSaved from Africa = would become idolatrous, savage and cannibals if not civilized/rescued by white peopleA far more cruel slavery in Africa, idolatry, cannibalism, brutal vice and crime that can disgrace humanityAlso saved/protected from the difficulties of the northern climateThe Southern system is the best option as it christianizes, protects, supports and civilizesIII – Justification of the Southern system over the Northern capitalist systemFitzhugh positions himself against abolitionists = “those who have a high opinion of the negro’s moral and intellectual capacity”Southerners can govern slaves far better than employers do with their free laborers in the northThe slaves are the happiest, the freest`They enjoy all the comforts and necessaries of life, physical comfort plus moral conditionLibertyGood weatherPerfect abandonHave their Sabbaths and holidaysHealthier system because masters are busy taking care of their slaves whereas Northerners are described as idle.CONCLUSIONAs a Southerner, Fitzhugh clearly defends a pro-slavery stance for economic and political reasons. It is obvious that the economy of the South was heavily dependent on slavery and that its abolition was seen as a threat to Southern society. Taking a paternalistic point of view and depicting the black man as a naturally inferior being who needs to be protected and taken care of, he thus tried to convince the senate and northerners that slavery was ??a positive good??. ................
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