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24 chapters
THE RISE, PROGRESS, AND PHASES OF HUMAN SLAVERY:
THE RISE, PROGRESS, AND PHASES OF HUMAN SLAVERY:
HOW IT CAME INTO THE WORLD, AND HOW IT SHALL BE MADE TO GO OUT. BY JAMES BRONTERRE O’BRIEN. LONDON: WILLIAM REEVES, 185, FLEET STREET, E.C. G. Standring, 8 and 9, Finsbury Street; Martin Boon, 170, Farringdon Road, W.C. South Africa: Hay Bros., Wholesale Agents, King William’s Town. —— 1885...
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TO THE PEOPLE!
TO THE PEOPLE!
This little Work, by an eloquent denunciator of the manifold evils of Profitmongering and Landlordism, whose entire life was devoted to the advocacy of Social Rights, as distinguished from Socialistic theories, is now given to the world for the first time in a complete form. The Author, in his lifetime, was frustrated in his design of finishing his History through the ceaseless machinations of working-class exploiters and landlords. This has been at length achieved by the aid of his various writ
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CHAPTER I. PROLETARIANISM SPRUNG FROM CHATTEL SLAVERY.
CHAPTER I. PROLETARIANISM SPRUNG FROM CHATTEL SLAVERY.
Importance of Social Reform—Universality of Covert or Open Slavery—Partial Prevalence of Working Class—Origin in Proletarianism—Advent of Christianity—Its Effects on Slavery—Middle and Working Classes the Produce of Emancipations—Classification of the Proletariat . At this critical period of the world’s history, when either the whole of society must undergo a peaceful Social Reformation that shall strike at the root of abuses, or else be incessantly menaced with revolutionary violence and anarch
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CHAPTER II. ORIGIN OF SLAVERY IN PATERNAL AUTHORITY.
CHAPTER II. ORIGIN OF SLAVERY IN PATERNAL AUTHORITY.
Antiquity of Slavery—Anterior to Legal Institution—Examples cited from Ancient History—Arose from Patriarchal Government—Despotic Power of Head of Family—Marriage Custom of Purchase—Aristocratic Governments favourable to Development—Decadence under Republics. In the preceding chapter we have shown how the modern working classes sprang from the ancient Proletarians; how the Proletarians arose out of the downfall of the ancient system of direct slavery; and how Christianity was mainly instrumental
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CHAPTER III. CAUSES OF PARENTAL DESPOTISM.
CHAPTER III. CAUSES OF PARENTAL DESPOTISM.
Evidences from Egypt and Persia—Supreme Authority of Family Head—First Legal Limitation under Roman Empire—Necessity for gradual Growth of Slavery—Source of Paternal Riches—Importance of Chief of the Family. We stated, in our last chapter, that human slavery, according to the concurrent testimony of history and philosophy, originated in the unbounded power which fathers or heads of families exercised, in the infancy of society, over their household—over wives, concubines, and children. Of the ex
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CHAPTER IV. INCREASE AND CONSOLIDATION OF SLAVERY.
CHAPTER IV. INCREASE AND CONSOLIDATION OF SLAVERY.
Sanction given by Law and Public Opinion—Various Causes of Enslavement—Practices of Ancient Germans—Analogy in Modern Commercial and Funding Systems, and Expatriation of Irish Peasantry—Slavery among the Jews. Having shown how human slavery originated in parental despotism, let us now inquire how positive laws came to consolidate and regulate it, and public opinion to consecrate and perpetuate it, till it had become the normal condition of some three-fourths of the human race antecedently to the
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CHAPTER V. OPINION OF THE ANCIENT WORLD ON SLAVERY.
CHAPTER V. OPINION OF THE ANCIENT WORLD ON SLAVERY.
Permanence of Slavery under all Revolutions—Ignorance of Principle of Human Equality—Theory and Personal Experience of Plato—Contentment of Slaves with their Condition—Occasional Comfort and Happiness of Slaves—Absence of Revolts against Slavery—Social and Political Rights ignored by Greeks and Romans. Having, in the preceding chapters, shown how human slavery came into the world, how it originated in the despotism of paternal power, before laws or governments were known, and how, coeval with so
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CHAPTER VI. UNIVERSALITY OF PUBLIC OPINION AS TO MASTER AND SLAVES.
CHAPTER VI. UNIVERSALITY OF PUBLIC OPINION AS TO MASTER AND SLAVES.
System acquiesced in by Slave-Class—Insurrections and Rebellions from other Causes than Hatred of Slavery—Rising under Spartacus—Conditions wanting for Success—Contrast of Modern Aspirations after Freedom—Example from enslaved Roman Citizens—Preference of Slaves for their Condition. Although the historical facts cited in the preceding chapter demonstrate satisfactorily enough that what, in our times, is called public opinion was amongst the ancients universally in favour of human slavery as a so
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CHAPTER VII. COMPARISON OF ANCIENT WITH MODERN SLAVERY.
CHAPTER VII. COMPARISON OF ANCIENT WITH MODERN SLAVERY.
Forces which overthrew Chattel Slavery—Advantages of real Slaves over Freed-Men and Wages-Slaves—Natural Fecundity esteemed a Blessing, not a Curse—Condition of American Slaves under Slavery. Having seen how firmly rooted was the institution of direct human slavery in the public opinion of the ancient world, let us now inquire what was the potent force or combination of forces which subverted that opinion, and which operated the mighty changes that afterwards took place in the social relation of
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CHAPTER VIII. EXPLOITATION-VALUE OF SLAVE AND FREE LABOUR.
CHAPTER VIII. EXPLOITATION-VALUE OF SLAVE AND FREE LABOUR.
Contrast of Plantation-Servants with British Workpeople—Affluence of former American Slaves—Misery of Free Labourers and Artisans—Value of Irish Peasants and English Workers—Free and Slave Children in America. Look on the life of a modern negro-slave in America, and compare it with the life of a modern Irish or Scotch peasant, or even that of an English hand-loom weaver in the North or of an English labourer in the South and West. Compare , did we say? Alas! the two conditions will not bear a co
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CHAPTER IX. HISTORY OF EARLY SOCIAL REFORMERS.
CHAPTER IX. HISTORY OF EARLY SOCIAL REFORMERS.
Intention of foregoing Contrast—Difficulties of Christian Revolution, and comparative Facility of Coming Ones—Essenes as Early Reformers—Difficulties in the way of Christian Innovations on Pagan Slavery. Before proceeding to show how Christianity, on the one hand, and worldly selfishness on the other, concurred in superimposing the evil of proletarianism upon that of chattel-slavery, and in gradually supplanting chattel-slavery itself, to make place for the wages-slavery of modern civilization,
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CHAPTER X. PROGRESS OF EARLY CHRISTIAN PROPAGANDA.
CHAPTER X. PROGRESS OF EARLY CHRISTIAN PROPAGANDA.
Opposition from corrupt Slave-Caste—Detestation of Christian Doctrines by Slave-owners—Incomprehensibility of new Doctrine of Equality—Absence of a destitute Free People a Drawback on Reform—Spread of the New Teachings—Alarm, and Persecution of the New Faith. We have seen, in the preceding chapter, what apparently insurmountable difficulties the early Christians had to struggle with in the ignorance, contentment, traditional habits, and deep-rooted prejudices of the slave-class. To these heredit
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CHAPTER XI. THE FOUR GREAT PERSECUTIONS.
CHAPTER XI. THE FOUR GREAT PERSECUTIONS.
Obscurity and Insignificance of Early Reformers their best Protection—Christians the Great Levellers—Nero’s Persecution—The Blood of the Martyrs the Seed of the Church—Persecution of Domitian—Martyrdoms under Trajan—Tortures under Antoninus. We have seen, in the preceding chapter, why Christianity must, upon its first introduction, have been universally and virulently opposed by the established powers of the world; and how, but for the lowliness and obscurity of its first propagators, it must, b
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CHAPTER XII. PROGRESS OF PROPAGANDA TO THE TENTH PERSECUTION.
CHAPTER XII. PROGRESS OF PROPAGANDA TO THE TENTH PERSECUTION.
Seven Years’ Persecution of Equalitarian Innovators—Seventh Great Persecution—Christians charged with Sorcery in Eighth Persecution—Tortures of Ninth and Tenth Persecutions—Pretended Conversion of Constantine—Lives of Early Christians Exemplars to the Pagan World. The persecutions under the “moderate” Trajan and the “philosophic” Antoninus had no effect, as we have seen, in stopping the progress of Christianity. On the contrary, they but served to extend it, by causing the multitude to interest
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CHAPTER XIII. DEBASEMENT OF THE NEW POWER WHEN SEIZED BY RULERS.
CHAPTER XIII. DEBASEMENT OF THE NEW POWER WHEN SEIZED BY RULERS.
Cost of making the New Ideas triumphant—Change in Character in the hands of Kings, Courtiers, and Profitmongers—Emancipations become a matter of Policy and Profit—Repudiation of Principles of Fraternity and Equality—Horrors of Introduction of Proletarianism. We have seen, in the two last chapters, what terrible tribulations it cost the early Christians to obtain admission into the world for the doctrines of liberty, fraternity, and equality,—we ought rather, perhaps, to say, for the more compreh
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CHAPTER XIV. SERVICE OF CHRISTIANITY IN BREAKING CASTE-BONDS.
CHAPTER XIV. SERVICE OF CHRISTIANITY IN BREAKING CASTE-BONDS.
Division of Emancipated Slaves into two Classes of Proletarians—Equality and Fraternity gave the desire for Liberty—Inveteracy of Caste-Prejudice—Perversion of Christianity under Constantine—Antagonism of Wages-Slavery and Christianity. Our last chapter concluded with an instructive passage, translated from the work of M. Granier de Cassagnac, showing how the pure spirit of primitive Christianity had operated the manumission of slaves in such masses that the Roman empire was soon overrun with pr
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CHAPTER XV. FORM OF SLAVERY UNDER MODERN CIVILIZATION.
CHAPTER XV. FORM OF SLAVERY UNDER MODERN CIVILIZATION.
Persistence of Chattel-Slavery in Eastern Countries—Assumption of Form of Wages-Slavery under Modern Civilization—Creation of Millionaire Capitalists by Present System—Result in Ruin and Starvation of the Labouring Class—Necessity of Repressive Armies and Police—Measures necessary to secure Social Reform. Having seen how human slavery originated in parental despotism—how it expanded by war, commerce, indebtedness, marriage, & c.—how it continued to be direct or chattel slavery all over t
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CHAPTER XVI. REFORMS AS MUCH NEEDED IN AMERICA AND IN COLONIES AS IN EUROPE.
CHAPTER XVI. REFORMS AS MUCH NEEDED IN AMERICA AND IN COLONIES AS IN EUROPE.
Answer to question, “How is Human Slavery to go out?”—Insufficiency of mere Political Freedom—Accessibility of Public Lands in new Countries their chief Advantage—Inadequacy of Universal Suffrage without a Knowledge of Social Rights—America falling into same Abyss as Europe. Before resuming the subject of the foregoing propositions, we pray the reader to bear in mind, that we are now arrived at that all-important branch of our inquiry which proposes to answer the question, “How is human slavery
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CHAPTER XVII. RELIEF TO UNEMPLOYED OR DESTITUTE A RIGHT, NOT A CHARITY.
CHAPTER XVII. RELIEF TO UNEMPLOYED OR DESTITUTE A RIGHT, NOT A CHARITY.
Inability of a People ignorant of Social Rights to choose Representatives—Duties of a wise Democracy—Omnipotency of a Knowledge of Social Rights—Facility of Application of Social Reforms—Exposition of the three Provisional Measures necessary. We have stated, in a former chapter, that the repeal of unjust laws, and the enactment of a few just and salutary ones, upon Land, Credit, and Equitable Exchange (the latter including Currency), are all that is wanted to terminate poverty and slavery for ev
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CHAPTER XVIII. GRADUAL RESUMPTION OF PUBLIC LANDS BY THE STATE.
CHAPTER XVIII. GRADUAL RESUMPTION OF PUBLIC LANDS BY THE STATE.
Necessity of Agrarian Reform—Crown Lands, Church Lands, and Corporation Lands to be immediately resumed, and their Rent applied to the relief of Taxation—The Rich have no right to meddle with them—Needed, by the exploited Millions, as a Fulcrum to raise them from the Earth. The first three resolutions of the National Reform League affirm (as already observed) only provisional or temporary measures to redress temporary grievances. They apply to pauperism, public and private indebtedness, and to o
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CHAPTER XIX. NATIONAL DEBT A MORTGAGE ON REALISED PROPERTY.
CHAPTER XIX. NATIONAL DEBT A MORTGAGE ON REALISED PROPERTY.
Necessity for Adjustment of Public and Private Debts—Their overwhelming Burden must result in Civil War—Third Resolution the only Remedy—Opinion of Cobbett—Enormous Increase of Debt through Improvements in Manufactures—Only just Claims of Public and Private Creditors. Resolution No. 3 of the League proposes an equitable settlement of questions of grave moment—of questions which will ere long be settled by force out of doors, unless Parliament adjusts them within by fair legislation. It is to the
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CHAPTER XX. NATIONAL LANDS AND CREDIT FOR THE USE OF THE PEOPLE.
CHAPTER XX. NATIONAL LANDS AND CREDIT FOR THE USE OF THE PEOPLE.
Unjust Laws to enable the Few to deprive the Working Class of their Earnings—Private Property in Land the Basis of Wages-Slavery—Raw Materials of Wealth belong to all—Land and Money Lords govern the World—Right of Working Class to the Use of Credit—Surplus of Earnings of Working Class beyond Consumption the Source of all Capital. To provide a full, adequate, and permanent remedy for the manifold and all-pervading ills that are the consequence of land-monopoly and usury, the people must reclaim t
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CHAPTER XXI. NATIONAL SYSTEM OF CURRENCY AND EXCHANGE REQUIRED.
CHAPTER XXI. NATIONAL SYSTEM OF CURRENCY AND EXCHANGE REQUIRED.
Inadequacy and Absurdity of present Medium of Exchange—Necessity for new National Currency for Home Trade—Example from Iron Currency of Sparta—Labour Notes of Guernsey—Gold and Silver mere Commodities—All four Reforms must be combined. In this chapter we shall elucidate the remaining two propositions of the League, on the important complementary reforms necessary to be introduced for the expulsion of human slavery from the face of the land, and the full emancipation of industry from the trammels
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CHAPTER XXII. EVILS OF MONOPOLIES AND EXPLOITATIONS OF INDUSTRIES.
CHAPTER XXII. EVILS OF MONOPOLIES AND EXPLOITATIONS OF INDUSTRIES.
False Principle of Law-made Property—Absurdity of Funding System and Borrowing from Investors—Evil of Public Works in hands of Profitmongers and Speculators—Rapacity of Predatory Classes—Efforts of Robespierre to abolish the nefarious System—his legal Assassination in consequence—All Evils of Society the work of Landlords and Profitmongers. Another false principle at the root of our system (mark it well! for it is a most diabolical one) is, that laws may legitimately make property for one set of
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