The Making of New World Slavery: From the Baroque to the Modern, 1492-1800 (Verso World History Series)

Robin Blackburn traces European doctrines of race and slavery from medieval times to the early modern epoch. "The Making of New World Slavery" argues that independent commerce, geared to burgeoning consumer markets, was the driving force behind the rise of plantation slavery. The baroque state sought - successfully - to feed upon this commerce and - unsuccessfully - to regulate slavery and racial relations. To illustrate this history, Blackburn examines the deployment of slaves in the colonial possessions of the Portuguese, the Spanish, the Dutch, the English and the French. Plantation slavery is shown to have emerged from the impulses of civil society, not from the strategies of the individual states. Robin Blackburn argues that the organization of slave plantations placed the West on a destructive path to modernity and that greatly preferable alternatives were both proposed and rejected. Finally he shows that the surge of Atlantic trade, predicated on the murderous toil of the plantations, made a decisive contribution to both the Industrial Revolution and the rise of the West. The Making Of New World Slavery Argues That Independent Commerce, Geared To Burgeoning Consumer Markets, Was The Driving Force Behind The Rise Of Plantation Slavery. The Baroque State Sought -- Successfully -- To Feed Upon This Commerce And -- Unsuccessfully -- To Regulate Slavery And Racial Relations. To Illustrate This History, Blackburn Examines The Deployment Of Slaves In The Colonial Possessions Of The Portuguese, The Spanish, The Dutch, The English And The French. Plantation Slavery Is Shown To Have Emerged From The Impulses Of Civil Society, Not From The Strategies Of The Individual States. Robin Blackburn Argues That The Organization Of Slave Plantations Placed The West On A Destructive Path To Modernity And That Greatly Preferable Alternatives Were Both Proposed And Rejected. Finally He Shows That The Surge Of Atlantic Trade, Predicated On The Murderous Toil Of The Plantations, Made A Decisive Contribution To Both The Industrial Revolution And The Rise Of The West. -- Publisher Description. Introduction: Slavery And Modernity ---- Part I. The Selection Of New World Slavery. 1. The Old World Background To New World Slavery --- 2. The First Phase: Portugal And Africa --- 3. Slavery And Spanish America --- 4. The Rise Of Brazilian Sugar --- 5. The Dutch War For Brazil And Africa --- 6. The Making Of English Colonial Slavery --- 7. The Construction Of The French Colonial System --- 8. Racial Slavery And The Rise Of The Plantation ---- Part Ii. Slavery And Accumulation. 9. Colonial Slavery And The Eighteenth-century Boom --- 10. The Sugar Islands --- 11. Slavery On The Mainland --- 12. New World Slavery, Primitive Accumulation And British Industrialization. Robin Blackburn. Originally Published: 1997. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. At the time when European powers colonized the New World the institution of slavery had almost disappeared from Europe itself. Having overcome an institution widely regarded as oppressive and unfortunate why did they sponsor the construction of racial slave systems in their new colonies? Robin Blackburn traces European doctrines of race and slavery from medieval times to the early modern epoch, and finds that the stigmatization of the ethno-religious Other was given a callous twist by a new culture of consumption, freed from an earlier moral economy. The Making of New World Slavery argues that independent commerce, geared to burgeoning consumer markets, was the driving force behind the rise of plantation slavery. The baroque state sought - successfully - to batten on this commerce, and - unsuccessfully - to regulate slavery and race. Successive chapters of the book consider the deployment of slaves in the colonial possessions of the Portuguese, the Spanish, the Dutch, the English and the French. Each are shown to have contributed something to the eventual consolidation of racial slavery and to the plantation revolution of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It is shown that plantation slavery emerged from the impulses of civil society rather than from the strategies of the individual states. The Making of New World Slavery argues that independent commerce, geared to burgeoning consumer markets, was the driving force behind the rise of plantation slavery. The baroque state sought—successfully—to feed upon this commerce and—with markedly less success—to regulate slavery and racial relations. To illustrate this thesis, Blackburn examines the deployment of slaves in the colonial possessions of the Portuguese, the Spanish, the Dutch, the English and the French. Plantation slavery is shown to have emerged from the impulses of civil society, not from the strategies of individual states. Robin Blackburn argues that the organization of slave plantations placed the West on a destructive path to modernity and that greatly preferable alternatives were both proposed and rejected. Finally, he shows that the surge of Atlantic trade, predicated on the murderous toil of the plantations, made a decisive contribution to both the Industrial Revolution and the rise of the West.