AFRICAN HISTORY MONTH

[jamesd at echeque.com]

On 11/02/2018 11:21, John Newman wrote:
> Are you being purposely disingenuous? There were obviously also raiding parties and
> the sale of “prisoners of war” between and within different black Africans themselves,

Dramatic, but atypical.

Enslavement on the basis of war was generally result of pacification 
campaigns, rather than "slave raids" - kings enslaved those who were 
persistently causing them trouble, with the objective of deterring 
troublemakers and getting rid of them.  As, for example, the Irish.

And most enslavement was not on the basis of war.  It was more typically 
for petty theft, particularly stealing from one's employer, and 
vagrancy.  (Not having visible means of support.)

> divisions exploited by European slavers anxious to fill the gaping maw hungry for free
> labor to subsidize the colonization and exploitation of the “new world”.

Slavery was driven by supply, rather than demand.  It was a way of 
dealing with problem people.  And Africa had, and still has, more 
problem people.

Walk down the street.  You will notice that black Americans generally 
have smaller heads, reflecting smaller brains.  Thus require more 
supervision, and are less apt to voluntarily accept supervision.

People who need supervision, and are disinclined to accept it, cause 
problems.  Slavery was a way of dealing with those problems.