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It probably was. In almost every example of slavery throughout history, it has been abandoned not because it was morally wrong, but because it is very bad for the economy.

Slavery in its ancient form (Rome, China, Babylon, Egypt, etc) followed the patterns of war. If you were conquered, you were a slave from then on. That kind of slavery ended gradually, replaced in large part with the feudal system that was still essentially slavery but with a new name. (However, official slavery still existed through the feudal times.) I would say it is a huge stretch to assert that "market forces eliminated slavery". Beatings of serfs continued; starvation of serfs continued. Legal ownership may have declined, but slavery still persisted.

The American form of slavery took two hundred years to stamp out, but not because of economic pressure. A slave in the colonial American South could earn easily 100% pure profit over their lifetime. Combined with an export economy (cotton), there really was no compelling economic reason to stop the institution despite the 10% garrison penalty required to stamp out slave revolts. It was the abolitionist movement that swept Europe that eliminated slavery within the European nations and eventually to their colonies.

Slavery still exists. Modern slavery is even more lucrative that colonial slavery: up to 800% return per year. Today, the drive to eliminate modern slavery is entirely driven by moralists.

It took around 35 years for the Emancipation Proclamation to be fully enforced. Even without it, I doubt the economy in the south would have survived much longer than that.

No, it took 100 years for Emancipation to be fully enforced, and in some places in America it still isn't. Sharecroppers still exist. Slaves still exist. See pictures of them here: http://www.american-pictures.com/roots/index.htm . As recently as 2004 migrant workers (including legal and illegal workers) are still fighting for the right not to be beaten. See here: http://www.american-pictures.com/roots/index.htm .

It probably was. In almost every example of slavery throughout history, it has been abandoned not because it was morally wrong, but because it is very bad for the economy.

Slavery in its ancient form (Rome, China, Babylon, Egypt, etc) followed the patterns of war. If you were conquered, you were a slave from then on. That kind of slavery ended gradually, replaced in large part with the feudal system that was still essentially slavery but with a new name. (However, official slavery still existed through the feudal times.) I would say it is a huge stretch to assert that "market forces eliminated slavery". Beatings of serfs continued; starvation of serfs continued. Legal ownership may have declined, but slavery still persisted.

The American form of slavery took two hundred years to stamp out, but not because of economic pressure. A slave in the colonial American South could earn easily 100% pure profit over their lifetime. Combined with an export economy (cotton), there really was no compelling economic reason to stop the institution despite the 10% garrison penalty required to stamp out slave revolts. It was the abolitionist movement that swept Europe that eliminated slavery within the European nations and eventually to their colonies.

Slavery still exists. Modern slavery is even more lucrative that colonial slavery: up to 800% return per year. Today, the drive to eliminate modern slavery is entirely driven by moralists.

It took around 35 years for the Emancipation Proclamation to be fully enforced. Even without it, I doubt the economy in the south would have survived much longer than that.

No, it took 100 years for Emancipation to be fully enforced, and in some places in America it still isn't. Sharecroppers still exist. Slaves still exist. See pictures of them here: http://www.american-pictures.com/roots/index.htm . As recently as 2004 migrant workers (including legal and illegal workers) are still fighting for the right not to be beaten. See here: http://www.american-pictures.com/roots/index.htm .

Uh-huh.

Read about the origins of Corporate propaganda and PR

Take the Red Pill to "Escape the Matrix" of neoliberal propaganda!

A book from Stuart Ewen about the origins of corporate propaganda

This one is a little bit "out there"

More about Escaping the Matrix of neoliberal propaganda

More about propaganda and how our society was molded by money around the idea of corporate and govt propaganda

How they do fight back against the forces of money in Denmark

A short history of the struggle between the rich and the rest of us

All of us Americans need to go on a strike on a certain day. THis would reign in the elite and let them know who is boss.

Read this for more info on this technique.

No two jobs? That's funny, when I talk with the actual people living in USA, that's something I hear quite often. Skin color or ethnicity doesn't matter - poor people in USA have been brainwashed to keep quiet, to not to demand anything better. Brainwashed to oppose anything that even remotely resembles "socialism" or "communism", thus effectively removing labor union and a decent social welfare. They think demanding protection (welfare, etc.) means totalitarism or restrictions on their freedom. Unfortunately USA isn't as free as most americans would like to think, anyways. Only corporations are relatively free in USA (which isn't as bad as many people here on Slashdot seem to think, as long as the corporate doesn't threaten invidual rights).

When I said two day jobs, I'm talking about people who earn $500 per month per job! Think, $500. Even if you're alone, no responsibilities, you need at least about $1000 per month.

I know we software developers, designers, admins, etc, won't have any trouble in USA (or elsewhere). We can easily earn in excess of $2500 per month after taxes & insurance, no matter where we are in the first world (including USA).

But not all people are that lucky as we are. Emphasis on word lucky, most of us just ended up with a high salary jobs!

Earning $500 per month sounds scary to me and you, I alone spend $2000 per month and I don't consider myself being well-off at all. But I make that $2000 (and more) out of one 8-hours per day, 5 days per week day job. Oh, and I also have 30 paid holiday days per year.

The minimum "reasonable" living costs for a family of three in USA is about $2000-$3000 per month, including rent, food and other basic needs. For example, family (white, one child, living in a southern state), she told many people actually have two jobs, just because the salaries are too low. And american social welfare system is a bad joke, if you're poor and you lose your job, you're pretty much SOL. If you complain about it, then you're a commie. Right.

Don't get me wrong, I think USA is a pretty good country to live in for us, well educated and well-off. If I were a poor or average american, I think I'd much rather live in some european 'socialist' country, like sweden, norway, finland, germany, and so on.

Check American pictures if you want to see the dark side.

logiteki at hotmail dot com, if you want to send me flames & critique. I don't expect to get any positive feedback, after "attacking" the "cornerstones" of the american free society, heh. I must be a commie pinko anyways, right? (wrong)

Argh, I keep getting this invalid formkeys error... :(

When the dirt-eating population of USA gets ill - they won't have to wait for 3-4 months to get treatment, they won't get treatment at all! Or if they do, that treatment will not be very up-to-date to put it mildly.

You obviously live in a privileged part of your country - your country is a large one. Things happen in it, that you don't know about!

Go see out your own backyard here.

BTW. I'm danish - I pay high taxes - I think it's worth it.