1-26-18
slaves working in factories:
- upper south was switching to
growing grain, mostly corn
- tobacco market was very
uncertain
- grain prices were high because
of demand from large slave plantations in Caribbean and
south central US
- growing grain required less
labor--surplus slaves available for sale or rental
some employed slaves were given
money to arrange their own lodging and meals--quasi-freedom
- the owners got their money and
didn't have bother with managing food and housing
- slaves didn't usually run away
because keeping families together was more important to them
than individual freedom
- a way for owners to make more
money, have slaves than they had room for
slaves as investments and as workers produced the capital that
made possible development of large-scale domestic manufacture
("industrial intensification") instead of dependence on imported
manufactured goods
in the upper south slave workers in those factories were mostly
hired out by their owners (rented by the year by the factory
owner)
some owners let slaves find their own work, so long as the owner
was paid a certain amount
to
what extent were owners motivated by displaying their power
and control, to what extent did they do whatever made them the
most money?--both motivations were important
in
order to preserve their families slaves worked hard and
earned money rather than rebelling or being uncooperative
- they accumulated property in the form of
family members
- what autonomy they had they often devoted to
family, not escaping slavery (unless they had no family
left)
- they were motivated by an incentive to
overwork, that is, a bonus paid if they exceeded the
standard level of production
- and by fear of being sold south and west
- discipline was expected of slaves
- having a needed skill gave considerable
protection
- as slave prices rose they could be more
expensive than free white laborers, but they were more
cooperative
preparing tobacco for use required extensive
labor, some skilled
manufacture of plug tobacco did not involve many
machines besides the press
not a factory in the sense of water or steam powered machines
but is a factory in the sense that it is mass production--lots
of identical products trying to make them cheaply to compete by
selling at a low price
you have a large market because of
transportation to sell nationally or internationally
bring workers together in one place where you
can supervise their work
but slaves were always easily cheated and could
be sold away when the owner wanted money
why did slaves choose to
have children in such bad conditions?
