The Problem of Slavery in Western Culture (Oxford Paperbacks)

Winner Of Several National Awards Including The 1967 Pulitzer Prize, This Classic Study By David Brion Davis Has Given New Direction To The Historical And Sociological Research Of Society's Attitude Towards Slavery. Davis Depicts The Various Ways Different Societies Have Responded To The Intrinsic Contradictions Of Slavery From Antiquity To The Early 1770's In Order To Establish The Uniqueness Of The Abolitionists' Response. While Slavery Has Always Caused Considerable Social And Psychological Tension, Western Culture Has Associated It With Certain Religious And Philosophical Doctrines That Gave It The Highest Sanction. The Contradiction Of Slavery Grew More Profound When It Became Closely Linked With American Colonization, Which Had As Its Basic Foundation The Desire And Opportunity To Create A More Perfect Society. Davis Provides A Comparative Analysis Of Slave Systems In The Old World, A Discussion Of The Early Attitudes Towards American Slavery, And A Detailed Exploration Of The Early Protests Against Negro Bondage, As Well As The Religious, Literary, And Philosophical Developments That Contributed To Both Sides In The Controversies Of The Late Eighteenth Century. This Exemplary Introduction To The History Of Slavery In Western Culture Presents The Traditions In Thought And Value That Gave Rise To The Attitudes Of Both Abolitionists And Defenders Of Slavery In The Late Eighteenth Century As Well As The Nineteenth Century.--publisher Description. The Historical Problem : Slavery And The Meaning Of America -- Patterns Of Continuity In The History Of Servitude -- Slavery And Sin : The Ancient Legacy -- The Response To Slavery In Medieval And Early Modern Thought -- Changing Views On The Value And Dangers Of American Slavery -- The Legitimacy Of Enslavement And The Ideal Of The Christian Servant : Moral Doubts And Rationalizations -- The Legitimacy Of Enslavement And The Ideal Of The Christian Servant : The Failure Of Christianization -- The Continuing Contradiction Of Slavery : A Comparison Of British America And Latin America -- The Continuing Contradiction Of Slavery: Emancipation, Intermixture, And Prejudice -- Religious Sources Of Antislavery Thought : Quakers And The Sectarian Tradition -- Religious Sources Of Antislavery Thought : The Man Of Feeling In The Best Of Worlds -- Religious Sources Of Antislavery Thought : Collective Guilt, Private Opinion, And Commitment -- The Enlightenment As A Source Of Antislavery Thought : The Ambivalence Of Rationalism -- The Enlightenment As A Source Of Antislavery Thought : Utility And Natural Law -- The Changing Image Of The Negro -- John Woolman's Prophecy. David Brion Davis. Originally Published: Ithaca, N.y. : Cornell University Press, 1966. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict Cover 1 Contents 14 Preface 8 PART I 16 One: The Historical Problem: Slavery and the Meaning of America 18 Two: Patterns of Continuity in the History of Servitude 44 Three: Slavery and Sin: The Ancient Legacy 77 Four: The Response to Slavery in Medieval and Early Modern Thought 106 PART II 138 Five: Changing Views on the Value and Dangers of American Slavery 140 Six: The Legitimacy of Enslavement and the Ideal of the Christian Servant: Moral Doubts and Rationalizations 180 Seven: The Legitimacy of Enslavement and the Ideal of the Christian Servant: The Failure of Christianization 212 Eight: The Continuing Contradiction of Slavery: A Comparison of British America and Latin America 238 Nine: The Continuing Contradiction of Slavery: Emancipation, Intermixture, and Prejudice 277 PART III 304 Ten: Religious Sources of Antislavery Thought: Quakers and the Sectarian Tradition 306 Eleven: Religious Sources of Antislavery Thought: The "Man of Feeling" in the Best of Worlds 348 Twelve: Religious Sources of Antislavery Thought: Collective Guilt, Private Opinion, and Commitment 380 Thirteen: The Enlightenment as a Source of Antislavery Thought: The Ambivalence of Rationalism 406 Fourteen: The Enlightenment as a Source of Antislavery Thought: Utility and Natural Law 437 Fifteen: The Changing Image of the Negro 461 Epilogue: John Woolman's Prophecy 498 Index 510 A 510 B 511 C 512 D 512 E 513 F 513 G 513 H 514 I 514 J 514 K 514 L 514 M 515 N 515 O 516 P 516 R 517 S 517 T 519 U 519 V 519 W 520 X 520 Y 520 Z 520 Davis depicts the various ways different societies have responded to the intrinsic contradictions of slavery from antiquity to the early 1770's in order to establish the uniqueness of the abolitionists' response. While slavery has always caused considerable social and psychological tension, Western culture has associated it with certain religious and philosophical doctrines that gave it the highest sanction. The contradiction of slavery grew more profound when it became closely linked with American colonization, which had as its basic foundation the desire and opportunity to create a more perfect society. Davis provides a comparative analysis of slave systems in the Old World, a discussion of the early attitudes towards American slavery, and a detailed exploration of the early protests against the bondage of African people, as well as the religious, literary, and philosophical developments that contributed to both sides in the controversies of the late eighteenth century. This introduction to the history of slavery in Western culture presents the traditions in thought and value that gave rise to the attitudes of both abolitionists and defenders of slavery in the late eighteenth century as well as the nineteenth century. --From publisher description AMERICANS have often been embarrassed when reminded that the Declaration of Independence was written by a slaveholder and that Negro slavery was a legal institution in all thirteen colonies at the beginning of the Revolution. A classic study of the history of slavery and men's changing attitudes to it, from antiquity to the early 1770s. This book won the 1967 Pulitzer Prize.