‘The Intellectual Origins of American Slavery’ Review: Chains Forged Long Ago

The roots of American slavery precede early modern European thought and extend back to Greece and Rome.

By Mark G. Spencer. He is a professor of history at Brock University. He reviewed the book “The Intellectual Origins of American Slavery” by John Samuel Harpham. Excerpts:

"He submits that American justifications of slavery rested on ideas that were in place long before slavery’s expansion in 19th-century America—before the American Founding or even the establishment of the English Atlantic world."

"The ancients provided two foundational conceptions of slavery. Aristotle thought slavery a natural condition for some—a slave, he says, is “he who can be, and therefore is, another’s.” But Aristotle’s view was supplanted by that of others who, like the Roman emperor Justinian (A.D. 482-565), a Christian, considered slavery “contrary to the law of nature” because “all men were initially born free.” Even under Justinian law, though, a slave was property, and if freedom was a natural state, it wasn’t necessarily a permanent one. Accidents and misfortunes, especially being captured in wartime, could lead to enslavement. Slavery was considered a morally justified alternative to death."

"This “Roman tradition of slavery” was codified in Justinian’s “Corpus Juris Civilis”(ca. 530), a collection of texts that provided a lens through which early modern writers considered slavery and its consequences."

"John Locke further restricted the lawful sources of slavery, arguing, says Mr. Harpham, that “all persons were by nature born free and equal with respect to each other” and that “no person could consent to be enslaved.”"

"many of the peoples of Africa held slaves and were prepared to trade them.” When the English looked to Africa, they now “wanted to know by what means persons were enslaved there and whether this was done in a manner that one could come to accept.” In other words, whether it fit within the Roman tradition of slavery that they understood."

"t is “possible to describe the intellectual origins of American slavery almost without reference to skin color.”"

"“ideas about slavery permeated early-modern English culture,”" 

"the development of American slavery was not “a simple function of material interests.”"