Okay imma start this with a disclaimer. I am in no way a defender nor advocate for the act or perpetuation of slavery. What I want to convey here is context to Jefferson and his contradictive ways.
Jefferson was a creature of his time and of the South. Jefferson believed what many founding fathers of the time believed. They believed Slavery was on it's way out and that it was only a matter of time before it was abolished. On several occasions and through various bills Jefferson attempted, sometimes successfully (i.e. 1807. The Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves of 1807) and often not (I.e. his attempt to condemn the act of slavery in the declaration of independence which was deleted before it's final draft.) To end slavery.
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Now here's the part of Jeffersons philosophy on the subject of slavery laid out. Jefferson didn't believe in immediate emancipation. What he advocated for was gradual emancipation/manumission. To be cont.
What Jefferson and other like minded individuals wanted to do was slowly assimilate slaves into society so that upon emancipation the former slave wasn't left to fend for themselves, as they would be left in a world with little protection from prejudices or other forms of degradation. One of the ideas floated was to train the enslaved in trade work so that upon emancipation they could move around to find a home and become a key part of whatever society they had become part of.
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Now comes the reality of Jefferson and his actions as opposed to his philosophy on the subject. Jefferson, as far as I have read, owned throughout his lifetime 600 slaves. Of those 600 Jefferson freed around 10-12 of his slaves. Most of which were the children and mother of his children bore from his extra marital affair with one of his slaves. Jefferson like many land owners of early America was heavily in debt.
In order to cover his debt his remaining 130 slaves, upon the death of his wife, were sold to various plantations.
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This being the reality of the situation it's hard, if not impossible, for anyone to defend his contradictions so I will not do so nor do I want to. Jefferson did a lot of good in creating the United States but he as an individual was flawed and at fault for his actions. He was a product of his time. I support the words and founding of this nation by Jefferson and the other founding fathers but his actions are abhorrent. I don't believe that Jefferson nor any founding father should be wholly venerated nor should they be wholly vilified for any of their actions. In conclusion Jefferson was hypocritical in his approach to the slavery question but so was most people of his day. We as a people should acknowledge the past for what it was but not delve on it too much as we are by far better than many of the individuals we came from.
I clicked on it when there was only your first comment there and I refreshed the page frantically... Glad I did, that's a very interesting insight that goes beyond the classical but a bit pointless "other times, you can't judge". Thanks for taking the time to type this!
@purplepumpkin
I feel a lot of the current zeitgeist here in the US is either wholly pro or anti USA. So when I see a post like this I wish to convey a more concise and less politically charged context to historical events and peoples. I feel the nation needs more understanding and discussion but by and large most people wish to live within their own echo chambers that removes any and all admissions that the other side could potentially have a point in any given discussion. It's honestly sad to see and I apologize if the above post or this one rambled on too much.
Can't tell about the ambiance in the US but I agree on principle that a balanced view that sees both sides of a given situation is always better. No need to apologise, this was educational and it's enjoyable :)
Jefferson was a creature of his time and of the South. Jefferson believed what many founding fathers of the time believed. They believed Slavery was on it's way out and that it was only a matter of time before it was abolished. On several occasions and through various bills Jefferson attempted, sometimes successfully (i.e. 1807. The Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves of 1807) and often not (I.e. his attempt to condemn the act of slavery in the declaration of independence which was deleted before it's final draft.) To end slavery.
-
Now here's the part of Jeffersons philosophy on the subject of slavery laid out. Jefferson didn't believe in immediate emancipation. What he advocated for was gradual emancipation/manumission. To be cont.
-
Now comes the reality of Jefferson and his actions as opposed to his philosophy on the subject. Jefferson, as far as I have read, owned throughout his lifetime 600 slaves. Of those 600 Jefferson freed around 10-12 of his slaves. Most of which were the children and mother of his children bore from his extra marital affair with one of his slaves. Jefferson like many land owners of early America was heavily in debt.
-
This being the reality of the situation it's hard, if not impossible, for anyone to defend his contradictions so I will not do so nor do I want to. Jefferson did a lot of good in creating the United States but he as an individual was flawed and at fault for his actions. He was a product of his time. I support the words and founding of this nation by Jefferson and the other founding fathers but his actions are abhorrent. I don't believe that Jefferson nor any founding father should be wholly venerated nor should they be wholly vilified for any of their actions. In conclusion Jefferson was hypocritical in his approach to the slavery question but so was most people of his day. We as a people should acknowledge the past for what it was but not delve on it too much as we are by far better than many of the individuals we came from.
I feel a lot of the current zeitgeist here in the US is either wholly pro or anti USA. So when I see a post like this I wish to convey a more concise and less politically charged context to historical events and peoples. I feel the nation needs more understanding and discussion but by and large most people wish to live within their own echo chambers that removes any and all admissions that the other side could potentially have a point in any given discussion. It's honestly sad to see and I apologize if the above post or this one rambled on too much.