“The rise of industrial capitalism thus rested on the maintenance of slavery in another part of the world, even though that slavery was no longer dependent on the continuation of the slave trade.”

—  Eric Wolf

Source: Europe and the People Without History, 1982, Chapter 11, The Movement of Commodities, p. 316.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "The rise of industrial capitalism thus rested on the maintenance of slavery in another part of the world, even though t…" by Eric Wolf?
Eric Wolf photo
Eric Wolf 24
American anthropologist 1923–1999

Related quotes

Oscar Wilde photo

“Nothing is proved by the expectation of some Northerners that the clause would eventually put an end to slavery, for there was widespread confusion of "slavery" with the "slave trade."”

David Brion Davis (1927–2019) American historian

Both American and British abolitionists assumed that an end to slave imports would lead automatically to the amelioration and gradual abolition of slavery.
The Problem of Slavery in the Age of Revolution, 1770-1823, page 129. https://books.google.com/books?id=9lsvDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA129

Dinesh D'Souza photo
Benjamin Harrison photo

“Shall the prejudices and paralysis of slavery continue to hang upon the skirts of progress? How long will those who rejoice that slavery no longer exists cherish or tolerate the incapacities it put upon their communities?”

Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901) American politician, 23rd President of the United States (in office from 1889 to 1893)

Inaugural address (1889)
Context: Shall the prejudices and paralysis of slavery continue to hang upon the skirts of progress? How long will those who rejoice that slavery no longer exists cherish or tolerate the incapacities it put upon their communities? I look hopefully to the continuance of our protective system and to the consequent development of manufacturing and mining enterprises in the States hitherto wholly given to agriculture as a potent influence in the perfect unification of our people. The men who have invested their capital in these enterprises, the farmers who have felt the benefit of their neighborhood, and the men who work in shop or field will not fail to find and to defend a community of interest.

Kwame Nkrumah photo

“Capitalism is but the gentleman's method of slavery”

Kwame Nkrumah (1909–1972) Pan Africanist and First Prime Minister and President of Ghana

Quoted in The Jewel of Africa, Vol. 1 (1968), p. 22.
Context: Capitalism is a development by refinement from feudalism just as feudalism is a development by refinement from slavery. Capitalism is but the gentleman's method of slavery.

George Fitzhugh photo

“Slavery relieves our slaves of these cares altogether, and slavery is a form, and the very best form, of socialism.”

George Fitzhugh (1806–1881) American activist

Source: Sociology For The South: Or The Failure Of A Free Society (1854), p. 27-28

Dinesh D'Souza photo

“How, for example, did Obama get elected as a complete unknown? … There is a one word answer: slavery. America's national guilt over slavery continues to benefit Obama, who ironically is not himself descended from slaves.”

Dinesh D'Souza (1961) Indian-American political commentator, filmmaker, author

Source: Books, America: Imagine a World without Her (2014), Ch. 1

Ulysses S. Grant photo
Eugene V. Debs photo

“Intellectual darkness is essential to industrial slavery.”

Eugene V. Debs (1855–1926) American labor and political leader

The Socialist Party and the Working Class (1904)
Context: Ignorance alone stands in the way of socialist success. The capitalist parties understand this and use their resources to prevent the workers from seeing the light.
Intellectual darkness is essential to industrial slavery.

Related topics