[seahorse2]

I've just begun reading this book, and its already proving to be one of the best books I've read in a long time. Its called "Slavery by another name" by Doug Blackmon, editor for the Wall Street Journal in Atlanta. Here's a link to it: Slavery by Another Name

Its about a very painful part of American history, the time period from the end of the Civil War until WWII, where even though slavery was abolished via Constitutional Amendment, it persisted through local laws and ordinances against vagrancy. For example, if a black man could not prove he was employed, he could and often was arrested for vagrancy and thrown in the county jail, sometimes years at a time. The county sheriffs would then "lease" these inmates out to various big corporations to pay for their jail fees and expenses. This book concentrates on one such arrest where the man was arrested for vagrancy and then leased to US Steel Corporation to work in their coal mines, very harsh conditions, with high mortality rates.

The author has visited the many grave sites of these men who died working in these company coal mines (Norther companies by the way). Slavery was in essence transferred from being a "southern institution" to a Northern or really an American institution.

Although I haven't finished the book yet, it seems that WWII finally put the brakes on this practice when the West criticized Hitler for his treatment of the Jews and Hitler, rightly, deflected their moral criticism of him by criticizing the US continued disparaging treatment of its black citizens.

So far, the book is well written and a detailed account of a part of American history that most are not aware of and would rather be forgotten by those who are. It certainly sheds light on the subsequent rise of the civil rights movement and attack against the "separate but equal" culture in the U.S. It also shows how there is much less time between slavery and freedom than I was aware of. I hate the fact that I was so ignorant.

It also makes one wonder how a new depression or resource wars would play out again here, or anywhere else, when a country has many unemployed or the need for cheap labor. To this day, Arkansas prisons continue to work farms and basic production for sale in the open market.

[Jack]

I suspect that the issue of involuntary servitude could best be represented as a spectrum ranging from chattel slavery at the worst up through certain entry-level jobs in our present day society. For example, if one investigates farmworkers during the 1929 depression, one notes that their meager wages were largely consumed by the cost of companies supplied housing and food. One might also lifted an eyebrow at the status of sharecroppers. In addition, most of us enjoy the benefits of cheap consumer goods produced by workers in foreign factories.

Although most people do not care to admit it, labor cost function according to the same supply and demand parameters as any other commodity. If economic slowdown results in an oversupply of labor, coupled with an under supply of money, then the value of labor will decline. Thus, some sort of quasi-slavery arrangement may well exist at some undefined point in the future.

[HEADER_RACK]

Slavery has been an integral part of the human race since the begining of civilization. It's not beyond the sense of reason to postulate it's return.

Man are we going to miss that black stuff coming up out the ground!

[Cashmere]

With the exception of the FF age, the story of history has been the same:

a few on top, most on the bottom.

We'll return to that because no other model works.

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cashmere', '
')We'll return to that because no other model works.

[Byron100]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cashmere', 'W')ith the exception of the FF age, the story of history has been the same:

a few on top, most on the bottom.

We'll return to that because no other model works.

[Jack]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Byron100', 'T')here is communism, where everyone is equal...everyone produces the same, everyone gets the same. No one gets a free ride, no one gets to live off the production of others.

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Byron100', 'I') really, really, REALLY hope humans become extinct before we go back to the age of slavery, as there is just no point in being human if most individuals have to live sh*t lives. And I mean this, with all my heart and soul.

[Byron100]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Jack', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Byron100', 'T')here is communism, where everyone is equal...everyone produces the same, everyone gets the same. No one gets a free ride, no one gets to live off the production of others.

[Byron100]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Byron100', 'I') really, really, REALLY hope humans become extinct before we go back to the age of slavery, as there is just no point in being human if most individuals have to live sh*t lives. And I mean this, with all my heart and soul.

[Cloud9]

The benefits of slavery were opened to poor whites as well as poor blacks after the Civil War. Most of the south’s industry had been destroyed by the Republican Army. The revitalization of agriculture was the only option. Share cropping was introduced.

The issue of race kept poor whites and poor blacks from realizing they were in the same predicament.

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Byron100', 'I') firmly disagree. There is communism, where everyone is equal...everyone produces the same, everyone gets the same. No one gets a free ride, no one gets to live off the production of others.

[heroineworshipper]

Someone said enslavement. Looks like another weirdo will be excluded from Steve Jobless's 1 billionth iPhone victory pyramid. How could you sign your own death warrant like that?

[HEADER_RACK]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Byron100', 'I') really, really, REALLY hope humans become extinct before we go back to the age of slavery, as there is just no point in being human if most individuals have to live sh*t lives. And I mean this, with all my heart and soul.

[Micki]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Byron100', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cashmere', 'W')ith the exception of the FF age, the story of history has been the same: a few on top, most on the bottom. We'll return to that because no other model works.

[JoeW]

Modern slavery in developed countries is not accomplished with whips or chains, but instead by brainwashing the population into believing that it is alright to take on the burden of irresponsible debts.

Most Americans are debt slaves because of the commercials they see on television, or because of the car they see their neighbor drive, or the brand new house their co-worker just bought.

Not only do Americans gladly accept the brainwashing, but they also willingly pay their satellite provider or cable company for it!

Wow. There are probably a bunch of fat guys smoking cigars in a mansion right now laughing their asses off about it, about how dumb the sheeple are.

All in all, it's a million times better than whips, though. We get shiny cars and fancy houses, until the bank comes knocking. And at least we have the power to free ourselves, if we just exercise our brainpower a little.

[vtsnowedin]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('JoeW', 'M')ost Americans are debt slaves because of the commercials they see on television, or because of the car they see their neighbor drive, or the brand new house their co-worker just bought.

[Ferrus]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cashmere', 'W')ith the exception of the FF age, the story of history has been the same: a few on top, most on the bottom.
We'll return to that because no other model works.

[Kingcoal]

Communism is impossible with an armed population. Communism is based on the idea of centralized government control of resources and property "in the interests of the working man." In a pure communist system, the government ultimately owns all property - there is no private property. The definition of private property is property which is defended either by law or force, usually both. If the population is armed, then they (the public) will seek to defend what they consider their own and pure anarchy becomes the norm until people group together based on commonalities and then a feudal system takes over. The very first thing that must happen if communism is to be realized is the confiscation of all arms from the public. Communism is just another elitist system of control with "working mans" ethics.

[Pretorian]

Ok, so before, to get labour, one had to pay $1000 ( what would it be nowdays ? $60000? ) , provide food, cloth, shelter , medical care ( would you get a vet for your 60K pet? I would), and once the slave becomes old or seriously sick disabled one had to take a huge loss by selling him for peanuts.
$1000 could bring $40-50 in interests in that time, tax free of course.
What does it take to get labour now? " Help Needed" sign in the window and $5 an hour. Will these $5 an hour , or $40 per day suffice for food, shelter, cloth?
So basically slavery disappeared just because:
1) free men pay for " tear&wear" from their own pocket
2) no initial investment;
3) free men can be thrown away at convinience;
imagine McDonalds shelling out $50-60 K for each employee, and be responsible to take care of their housing, alimentation, medical care, sick days ets.