Figure 1.--The idea that slavery was foundational institution of the United States has no basis in fact. Slavery produced huge profits for a few decades in the first half of the 19th century, but it was in the north that democracy, free labor, and capitalism were the foundational nstitutions of the American nation. Slavery actulaly was a drag on the American economy which is why the South lagged behind the North. It limited the productive capacity of a substantial part of the Soutthern population. It was why the South was the poorer section of the country. Slavery had been a part of civilization since time memorial. What was the foundation on which America was built was the core idea that ordinary citizens could manage their affairs without a monarchy. It was the first time in modern history that this vital Englightenment idea had been put to the test. Thomas Le Clear's painting 'Young America' was a powerful statement of how thoroughly the American experiment in democracy had filtered down to the very youngest. The African-American man located close to the central focus may be the artist's subtle suggestion that while American democracy was more advanced than in any other counttry at the time, it was still very much a work in progress. Notice the detailed depiction of the oak tree. The oak is one of the most loved trees in the world. It's a symbol of strength, morale, resistance, and knowledge. .
While cottion produced by slave labor was undeniably important in the first half of the 19th century it was not the foundation of the American economy. Left-wing authors are today trying to make the case that slavery was at the heart of the United States from the foundation of the Republic. The New York Times has picked on this theme with what the call 'The 1619 Project", referring to the date that the first african slaves were landed in Virginia. [Hannah-Jones] Their goal is to 'reframe American history'. The Times tells us that they want to make it 'explicit how slavery is the FOUNDATION on which this country was built. For generations, we have not been adequately taught this history. Our hope is to paint a fuller picture of the insitution that shaped our nation." This is simply not true. Slavery was important, but it was hardly the FOUNDATION. Now the impact of slavery on America is a good discussion to have. But this is what the Times is doing. It has used the valid issue of slavery and turned it into a thinly veiled Marxist attack on capitalism. Now democracy and capitalism are not not perfect. No creation of man or system run by man is perfect. This is simply because man himself is not perfect. But democracy and capitalism as they developed over time. They were not designed system, but developed over centuries. They thus reflected human nature. Feudalism, Socialism, Communism, Fascisms, Feminism and the other 'isms' are very different. They were desined systems, designed to improve on liberal democracy and capitalism.[Rahn, pp. B1 and 4.] And their propnents simply ignored human nature to improve on human society. The result was that Communists seize power and find that Socialism does not work they set out to transform humna nature. The Soviets sought to create the New Soviet Man and the NKVD with its Gulag were created to force compliance. Brutality on a wide scale was needed because Socialism reaquires behavior so different than human nature. Which explains why all the Communist countries and Socialist economies have failed and failed miserably. Man is at heart a trading animal. We know that because hunter gatheing people began trading even before civiization. All existing modern hunter gathers are trading people. And when they run out of itens to trade, man creates and produces. And the same was true of early civilizations. Countless cuuniform tablets deal with contracts and trade goods. Rome is famous for law. And much of Roman law dealt with trading practices. Over time ideas like money, propertied rights, and impartial enforcemnent developed. Italian and Dutch city states developed banks as well as financil law which lead to capitalism. Countries which embraced the principles such as the Netherlamds, Britain, America, France amd Germamy got rich and prospered. And this is because capitalism reflected humna nature. And no nation embraced capitalism to a greater extent than the United States. Fredom is deeply inbedded in the Constution and along with it the idea of represetative government and capitalism are the true foundation of America.
Cotton
While cotton produced by slave labor was undeniably important in the first half of the 19th century it was not the foundation of the American economy. It was only importanbt for a few decades, essentially the 1820s-50s). And even during that oeriod, it was the North that was the most prosperous of the two sections. It cwas in the North that industry was devloping and the new Ameriucan socity unfolding. It was there that major educational institutions were being fiouded nd important inventions being pattented., It was in the North that populstion was onvcreasing and free labor beginning to make its mark on a still largerly agrrian society. And it was in the North that the expanding free public education system was creating an increasingly literate population that would soon emrrge as a great world power. And the bustling cities of the North would stand in dsark coontrst to the mich more agrarian low-income South. Id slavery was foundation in ehgich Anerica was built, than it woukd hsve been the Soiuth ehere all this was happening. It was no, modern indusdtril America emerrged in the Nirth where sklvery did not exit abd hd never existed to any extebnt.
Left-Wing Argument
Left-wing authors are today trying to make the case that slavery was at the heart of the United States from the foundation of the Republic. The New York Times has picked on this theme with what the call 'The 1619 Project", referring to the date that the first african slaves were landed in Virginia. [Hannah-Jones] Their goal is to 'reframe American history'. The Times tells us that they want to make it 'explicit how slavery is the FOUNDATION on which this country was built. For generations, we have not been adequately taught this history. Our hope is to paint a fuller picture of the insitution that shaped our nation." This is simply not true. Slavery was important, but it was hardly the FOUNDATION.
Needed Diuscussion
Now the impact of slavery on America is a good discussion to have.
Attck on Capitalism
But an ilumimsating discussion on slavery is not what The Times is doing. It has used the valid issue of slavery and turned it into a thinly veiled Marxist attack on capitalism. Now democracy and capitalism are not not perfect. No creation of man or system run by man is perfect. This is simply because man himself is not perfect. But democracy and capitalism as they developed over time. They were not designed system, but developed over centuries. They thus reflected human nature. Feudalism, Socialism, Communism, Fascisms, Feminism and the other 'isms' are very different. They were desined systems, designed to improve on liberal democracy and capitalism.[Rahn, pp. B1 and 4.] And their propnents simply ignored human nature to improve on human society.
Human Nature
,p> The result was that Communists seize power and find that Socialism does not work they set out to transform humna nature. And this required the use of a brutal police state. The Soviets sought to create the New Soviet Man and the NKVD with its Gulag were created to force compliance. Brutality on a wide scale was needed because Socialism reaquires behavior so different than human nature. Which explains why all the Communist countries and Socialist economies have failed and failed miserably. Man is at heart a trading animal. We know that because hunter gatheing people began trading even before civiization. All existing modern hunter gathers are trading people. And when they run out of itens to trade, man creates and produces. And the same was true of early civilizations. Countless cuuniform tablets deal with contracts and trade goods. Rome is famous for law. And much of Roman law dealt with trading practices. Over time ideas like money, propertied rights, and impartial enforcemnent developed. Italian and Dutch city states developed banks as well as financil law which lead to capitalism. Countries which embraced the principles such as the Netherlamds, Britain, America, France amd Germamy got rich and prospered. And this is because capitalism reflected humna nature. And no nation embraced capitalism to a greater extent than the United States. Fredom is deeply inbedded in the Constution and along with it the idea of represetative government and capitalism are the true foundation of America.
Foundation
What is missed by Ms. Hannah-Jones and the other authors of the 1619 Project is a fundamental understanding of history. This comes from a combination of Marxist professors and a concentratiin on ethnic and feminist studies. Even the most basic study of history leads to an understanding that the United Stes was founded on the idea of freedom: political, economic, and religious frededom. Of course that freedom was at first limited and does not meet 21st century standards. And slavery was the mos glaring of America's imperfections. The franchise in America was at first limited to propertied white men. Of course this was not very democratic. But at the time it was rare for ANY commoner to have the right to vote. Slavery or even more connonly conditions close to slavery was widely practiced around the world. In fact voting itseld was virtually unheard of any where, but America. The only couuntry with any kind of elections was Britgain and even there the franchise was much more limited. It was in America that the idea that the individual could elect a government and determine his own future was born. And this continued to be the case throuout most of the 19th century. It was the democratucally elected Republic created by the Constitution that destroyed the institution of slavery. And it as the industrail power available to that Republic as a result of economic freedom (capitalism) that gave it the power to do so. The southern Confederacy which limited freedom in the end failed. Even well into the 20th century, only a handful of countries had functioning democracies. And it was America that played a crucial role in the crushing of the great totalitarian states of the 20th century and their horific attempt to supress the very idea of freedom. It all began in America. And within only a few decades the franchise was expanded to include all white men, then all men, and evebtually women. Not only was political freedom the foundation of the American Republic, but also economic freeddom--capitalism. And this economic freeddom made America the most prosperous country on earth. There are other important freedoms, especially religious freedom. And hre America also led the way. Unquestionably there were imperfections in America's foundation. But American history has been a steady movement toward a more perfect union. And while America did not and still has not achieved utopia, it not only compares favorably to other countries since its foundation, but has been the indispenable country in spreading the idea of freedom throughout the world, including political, conomic, amd religious freedom.
Sources
Hannah-Jones, Nikole. Ms. Hannah-Jones is a New York Times staff writer and is coordinating the 1619 Project. It was launched bu a 100 page edition of the New York Times Magazine (August 14, 2019). It is composed of articles by Hannah-Jones and others trying to make the case that slavery is the foundation upon which America was built.
Rahn, Richard W. "A reality check of The 1619 Project," The Washington Times (August 27, 2019), pp. B1 and 4.
