Debate: Was cotton slavery a form of capitalism?

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Sociology
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1SOCIOLOGY
Debate on the topic: Was cotton slavery a form of capitalism?
Introduction
The “New History of Capitalism” grounds the rise of industrial capitalism on the
production of raw cotton by American slaves. Since the year 1790, some of the oldest and
valuable crop of America, like Tobacco were depleting farmland as well as dropping in value.
During the same time, the textile industry of USA was exploding and thus the international
demand for cotton n the textile industry also increased to a huge extent. A good number of the
stakeholders were getting highly benefited from the cotton economy and thus growing cotton led
to increased demand for the slaves. Slaves in the upper south became incredibly valuable like
commodities and were sold off in droves (Oakes 2016). A second middle passage was create and
thus was considered as the second largest forced migration in the history of America. From time
immemorial, cotton slavery as well as capitalism in the USA was not depicted to have any clear
connection. Majority of the historians have depicted slavery as a regional institution of cruelty in
the nation instead of being the driver of broader economic prosperity in America. This essay
intends to argue whether capitalism possess direct linkage with cotton slavery in USA or not.
Argument 1
According to a good number of researchers, the small farmers of New England during the
cotton revolution were not alone responsible for the economic position while the expansion of
capitalism took place. The hard labour of the slaves from places like South Carolina, Albama as
well as Missisippi in also responsible for the economic position of the nation. According to
Armstrong (2019), more than that half of the cotton export from America in within the first six
decades of the 19th century was comprised of raw cotton and majority of the cotton was grown by

2SOCIOLOGY
slaves. The slave economy of the southern state had ripple effects throughout the entire economy
of US along with plenty of merchants in Boston, New York city and other parts who were
helping the organize the slave grown agricultural commodities as well as plenty of riches.
Piqueras et al. (2017) have pointed out how enslaved Africans were exploited as a living labour
in order to enhance the production of cotton. Two types of violence were evidencing during that
period, namely, systematic violence for ensuring conversion and racism violence that result due
to the while supreme ideology. When it comes to systematic violence it includes inhumanly
lengthening of working hours per day, intensifying the labour as well as limiting their daily
consumption.
Argument 2
When it comes to racial Violence against the slaves, it included task labour as well as
individual targets, gang labour for hoeing as well as especially sharp during the time of harvest.
While majority of the historians have put emphasis on the fact how slavery due to
overproduction of cotton has led to torture of the enslaved individuals. However Economists
have focused on the high rise in productivity during due to the enslaved labours during the
mentioned period. The productivity of the enslaved labour was found to be increased markedly
due to newly implemented machines lie cotton gin, plough as well as transport. Along with this,
better cultivation methods as well as refinement of labour organization also took place during
that time. along with this, increment in the skills, knowledge from young movement to fresh,
more fertile soils to the south east as well as breeding of new plants were also responsible for the
mentioned enhancement in productivity. Miranda (2017) has pointed out the capitalization of
labours as commodity. Commodities are referred to the things whose value increases keeping
accordance to the expected future instead of the cost of production. Similarly, more the slaves