Fitzhugh
George Fitzhugh in "Southern Thought" presents an argument of a new society in the South. The South must take for granted the fact that slavery is right and that a new ideology, a new philosophy must be created off the south's foundation of an agricultural slave based society. Fitzhugh calls for "complete independence and isolation from all outside influences (1910)" to the point of becoming a separate nation in order for the South to develop its own distinctive brand of thought. Fitzhugh attacks a capitalistic society believing that no security can be found in it and only from slavery can a society be free of immoral activities. Fitzhugh envisioned a South that incorporated slavery of every race as he compared the South to ancient societies that used slavery based on what a person is born into. Fitzhugh believed the need for the South to diversify her economy from an agricultural one to an industrial one to advance the South's economy and education. Fitzhugh sought to prove historically the failure of a free capitalistic society, but when we turn to assess Fitzhugh's critique we discover, at both its explicit and its ramified level, that its strengths are also are its weaknesses.
Since men are not born equal they cannot compete fairly and slavery is the most humane structuring of the social order is ultimately what Fitzhugh argues to defend a slave-based society. Fitzhugh makes an attack on capitalism revealing the system in its more negative light and contrasting it to the charity of the slave system. Agriculture was in abundant supply and would never command a reward greater than its cost. Fitzhugh believed the hand turned men and nations into slaves since "they do not get paid for more than one fourth of their labor (1915)". When an agricultural society fails it encourages the emigration of the population. " Slavery is not only universal as the normal mode of production, but is a universal human condition based on former Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Christian societies Fitzhugh saw to defend his position. For Fitzhugh, no security can be found in a free capitalistic society; "every day brings new troubles of employment, starvation, and injustice, while the freeman only has a right to starve to death . Fitzhugh's belief in a slave society concludes that his ideas were that of an insulated slave holding community, self-sufficient, family-based and glorifying in its very provincialism; the ideal of the patriarchal slave plantation. Instead, he argues slavery must be championed as a necessary social arrangement; a system established for the advancement of the country where everyone benefits, both the weak and the strong, rich and the poor. " Fitzhugh sees Europe as an example of an empire fallen due to capitalism, where the capitalist experiment has left Europe in anarchy to prove his theory that a capitalist society will fail. Yet the objective of the south Fitzhugh believes is not to become a manufacturing and commercial people, but rather to gain independence from the North, which "will manufacture for, cheat her, and keep her dependent (1915). "But if the abolitionists were dissatisfied with the consequences of freedom in the North?" Fitzhugh asked. Societies that once used slaves and what Fitzhugh believed advanced these societies. A key to Fitzhugh political theory can be found in his critique of abolitionism as he attacks abolitionism by agreeing with its own critique of northern institutions: by pointing to the abolitionist's condemnation in the North of intemperance and capitalism.
Common topics in this essay:
North Fitzhugh,
South South,
Europe North,
Marx Fitzhugh's,
Fitzhugh Europe,
Fitzhugh South,
George Fitzhugh,
Ultimately South,
Egyptian Christian,
fitzhugh believed,
capitalistic society,
society fitzhugh,
Fitzhugh Southern,
fitzhugh envisioned,
slave society,
based slavery,
free enterprise,
industrial advance south's,
envisioned south,
immoral activities,
economy agricultural industrial,
slavery race,
society free immoral,
advance south's economy,
free immoral activities,
|
Acceptance Essays
