Lecture

Slavery and Capitalism

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In course

HUM-254: Contemporary international history

Ce cours a pour objectif de mettre en évidence l'histoire du capitalisme de la révolution industrielle (fin 18e siècle) jusqu'à nos jours. Il s'intéresse aux grandes mutations économiques, technologiques, sociales et environnementales qui ont accompagné l' ...

Description

This lecture explores the relationship between slavery and capitalism, focusing on the Haitian Revolution and the abolition of slavery in St-Domingue. It delves into the economic aspects of the transatlantic slave trade, the organization of slavery, and the resistance of enslaved individuals. The discussion also covers the impact of the Code Noir, a set of laws governing the treatment of slaves in French colonies. Additionally, it analyzes the demographic and economic data related to the slave trade, highlighting the significant role of slavery in the capitalist system. The lecture concludes by examining the enduring legacy of slavery on modern capitalism, as discussed in Eric Williams' book 'Capitalism and Slavery'.

Instructor

Thomas David

Teaching & PhD PhD Students Joel Swai Praz Courses Health B: Innovation, Equity, Sustainability HUM-125(b) The course provides an interdisciplinary examination of key global health challenges, focusing on biomedical innovations, pharmaceuticals, sustainability, mental health, and health policies. It offer a critical skillset to engineering students approaching these complex health challenges.

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Related concepts (32)

Anti-capitalism

Anti-capitalism is a political ideology and movement encompassing a variety of attitudes and ideas that oppose capitalism. In this sense, anti-capitalists are those who wish to replace capitalism with another type of economic system, such as socialism or communism. Socialism Socialism advocates public or direct worker ownership and administration of the means of production and allocation of resources, and a society characterized by equal access to resources for all individuals, with an egalitarian method of compensation.

History of slavery

The history of slavery spans many cultures, nationalities, and religions from ancient times to the present day. Likewise, its victims have come from many different ethnicities and religious groups. The social, economic, and legal positions of enslaved people have differed vastly in different systems of slavery in different times and places. Slavery has been found in some hunter-gatherer populations, particularly as hereditary slavery, but the conditions of agriculture with increasing social and economic complexity offer greater opportunity for mass chattel slavery.

History of capitalism

The history of capitalism is diverse and the concept of capitalism has many debated roots. The history of the past 500 years is concerned with the development of capitalism in its various forms. Capital accumulated by a variety of methods, at a variety of scales, became associated with much variation in the concentration of wealth and economic power. Capitalism gradually became the dominant economic system throughout the world. The processes by which capitalism emerged, evolved, and spread are the subject of extensive research and debate among historians.

Slavery

Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labor. Slavery typically involves compulsory work with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavement is the placement of a person into slavery. Many historical cases of enslavement occurred as a result of breaking the law, becoming indebted, suffering a military defeat, or exploitation for cheaper labor; other forms of slavery were instituted along demographic lines such as race or sex.

Capitalism

Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, price systems, private property, property rights recognition, voluntary exchange, and wage labor. In a market economy, decision-making and investments are determined by owners of wealth, property, or ability to maneuver capital or production ability in capital and financial markets—whereas prices and the distribution of goods and services are mainly determined by competition in goods and services markets.

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