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The cover of The Problem of Slavery in Western Culture

The Problem of Slavery in Western Culture

David Brion Davis

How did Western societies justify slavery for centuries, and why did a small number of people suddenly see its horror?

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16 parts, about 42 minutes to read.

At a glance

Author
David Brion Davis
Parts
16 parts
Reading time
about 42 minutes

Why read it

  • You will learn how old religious and classical ideas were used to defend slavery long before the modern era
  • You will see how reformers in different countries drew on shared ideas, which helps explain how a moral view spreads
  • You will think about moral blind spots, and how a belief everyone shares can go unquestioned for centuries

Who it is for

  • A history student studying slavery and ideas
  • Someone who wants to understand how moral change happens
  • A reader of philosophy and religion

What the summary covers

  1. 1. Slavery and the Meaning of America2 min
  2. 2. Continuity in the History of Servitude3 min
  3. 3. Slavery and Sin in the Ancient Legacy2 min
  4. 4. Medieval and Early Modern Thought3 min
  5. 5. Slavery’s Value and Its Dangers3 min
  6. 6. Lawful Enslavement and the Christian Servant3 min
  7. 7. The Failure of Christianization2 min
  8. 8. British and Latin American Slavery3 min
  9. 9. Emancipation, Intermixture, and Prejudice3 min
  10. 10. Quakers and the Sectarian Tradition3 min
  11. 11. The Man of Feeling in the Best of Worlds3 min
  12. 12. Collective Guilt, Private Opinion, and Commitment2 min
  13. 13. The Ambivalence of Rationalism2 min
  14. 14. Utility and Natural Law3 min
  15. 15. The Changing Image of the Negro3 min
  16. Epilogue. John Woolman's Prophecy2 min

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