John C Calhoun Slavery Analysis

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John C Calhoun was an american statesman and political theorist from South Carolina. His role as a statesman was to define clearly the alternatives and or future before them. He intended to change the political dynamic in regard to abolitionism. The overall main point Calhoun was trying to get across was that slavery was a positive good for blacks. A side point in his speech was that abolitionism was not going to go away unless called to account by vigorous rejection it would grow. Calhoun begins by arguing that blacks are better off in the United States as slaves than they would be as free people in Africa. Because of their race, they are second class therefore it is better for them to be cared for by whites in the United States. “Never before has the black race of Central Africa, from the dawn of history to the present day, attained a condition so civilized and so improved, not only physically, but morally and intellectually.” says Calhoun. He then goes on to talk about the benefits of slavery which are proven by facts that slave populations increase on their own, he says these factors make it clear that slavery …show more content…
He supports that statement by contrasting the factory owners who did not care about their workers. “in few countries so much is left to the share of the laborer, and so little exacted from him; or where there is more kind attention paid to him in sickness or infirmities of age. Compare his condition with the tenants of the poor houses in the more civilized portions of Europe…” says Calhoun.
Therefore, we can see that Calhoun feels that because the Africans are lower class, slavery is better for them than freedom because they are to be better taken care of than free laborers. With this reasoning, Calhoun says that slavery is a positive
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