1.

In your own understanding and based on the material we’ve studied so far,
explain the relationship between the Atlantic Slave Trade and the rise of
capitalism.

The Atlantic Slave Trade and capitalism enjoyed an intimate and direct

relationship, they co-existed amongst one another in their early stages. Simply put, the

Atlantic Slave Trade served as the missing component within capitalism that enabled

the already implicit exploitation capitalism thrives on.

Unchecked capitalism and The Atlantic Slave Trade worked together in tandem

very well when the trading of slaves across the Atlantic began in the 16th century. The

Portugeese found success in trafficking Africans for free labor on sugar plantations in

locations such as Cape Verde (citation). When viewed through more empathetic and

humanizing scope, the issues with trafficking slaves across the Atlantic are glaring and

repulsive, however, when the same issues are examined through a capitalist point of

view, the Atlantic Slave Trade was the missing link that is required to acquire mass

wealth.

Capitalism excels when labor is cheap or preferably free and the return on that

labor is lucrative and unadulterated by concepts such as wages. This is the main reason

why capitalism, the slave trade and slavery in general became an accepted form of

economic advancement. The Transatlantic Slave Trade provided the wealthy with the

“tools” needed to not only expand their wealth and control, but to also regulate and

influence an important principal of capitalism, which is typically known as supply and

demand. The slaves and their free labor were always in high supply and high demand,

allowing those controlling the trade routes, those owning plantations or other wealthy

members of society to effectively funnel the free labor into any direction they desired.
 Another callous but truthful reality of the relationship between capitalism and the

Transatlantic slave trade was the simple fact that selling a person was easier and more

of an economically sound decision than selling land. The reason behind this is because

a person’s labor can be maximized, and once maximum labor output of a singular

person has passed, another person capable of labor can be purchased, ensuring no

losses. Capitalism still heavily hinges on the idea of assets such as land, even today,

but in order to maintain or get the most out of the land, a person’s labor is still required.

Combine all of these factors and it becomes plain to see why capitalism’s and the slave

trade’s relationship was symbiotc. The two concepts worked together to maximize profit,

expansion and dominance. The inhumane qualities of capitalism fed and encouraged

the atrocities commited during the slave trade.

To this very day, we still feel impacts of this relationship even with the

abolishment of traditional slavery. Instead of the slave trade, we now utilize networking

services such as MonsterJobs and Indeed to market our labor to companies. These

companies, in turn, will maximize the labor required while minimizing any losses. The

stains of capitalism and it’s tryst with the slave trade, I believe personally, will haunt

humanity forever. The exceptional success these two concepts shared just reinforces

the idea that whenever money is involved and is the object of lust, exploitation and

dehumanization are to be expected. Profits and production over people.