A big controversy at the time was that emancipation didn't come with any "compensation" to former slaveowners
-
-
Replying to @arthur_affect
That was both for moral reasons among genuine abolitionists and practical -- that much cash didn't exist
1 reply 4 retweets 18 likes -
Replying to @arthur_affect
The estimated value of enslaved workers to the South was astronomical
2 replies 5 retweets 10 likes -
Replying to @arthur_affect
Which isn't a defense of slaveowners -- fuck them -- but the North also didn't care abt compensating the freedmen for their unpaid labor
1 reply 4 retweets 14 likes -
Replying to @arthur_affect
In that sense the South's complaint that the war was a big transfer of wealth to the North was vaguely accurate
1 reply 2 retweets 13 likes -
Replying to @arthur_affect
(The most wronged parties of course predictably being former slaves who didn't ever get that "40 acres and a mule")
1 reply 3 retweets 15 likes -
Replying to @arthur_affect
But my point is the North and the European countries were in fact the hypocrites the South accused them of being
1 reply 5 retweets 14 likes -
Replying to @arthur_affect
The amount of wealth tied up in that system was enormous and the profit from it global
1 reply 3 retweets 13 likes -
Replying to @arthur_affect
Which is why Europeans almost all condemned slavery as a barbaric institution but not *too* hard lest they have to do something about it
1 reply 3 retweets 18 likes -
Replying to @arthur_affect
Not like that's true of any exploitative labor arrangements today or anything
1 reply 1 retweet 14 likes
NB: While we laud the Union Army for freeing the slaves it was the same troops and officers "clearing" the West for resource extraction
-
-
Replying to @arthur_affect
Something else our friends in Europe frequently spoke about as distasteful while helping bankroll it
0 replies 1 retweet 12 likesThanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.