Slavery as an Economic SystemSlavery is not generally considered an economic system, but it was truly an economic system and a crucial part of the of Southern life. Without slavery, the South would have lagged behind the North, both economically and demographically, and would have had no means of generating personal income and profit. Slavery and the slave trade gave the South the opportunity to grow and prosper, while also helping the North grow and prosper. The South relied on slaves to work in fields, homes, plantations, and many other places. Without slaves, the Southern economy would have collapsed or fallen drastically. If slaves had been hired and paid for the work they performed, they could have contributed to even greater growth in the economy. They could have done this, because they would be paid for their hard work, and they could then turn around and spend it on food, houses, and other wants or needs that came up. By doing this, they would also have had the opportunity to have some freedom. On the contrary, some view masters as the kind of people who take care of their slaves. Most masters only took care of the minimum of things, but at least the slaves didn't have those things weighing on them. Some examples of things the master would take care of are: clothes, shoes, a place to live, and food and water. Masters took care of the necessities, which helped release a burden that, if the slaves were free, would have been placed on their shoulders. Being a slave must have been very hard. That your master only cared about you because you made him money, and not being able to provide, protect, or be with your family would have been a huge hardship. M...... middle of paper ... but they haven't received the respect they deserve. The masters at least had the decency to give them housing, clothes, shoes, food and water. Although slavery was intended to stimulate the economy and meet supply and demand in the North, it quickly became a way of life that took longer to abolish than to start. Slavery and the slave trade will forever be a part of our past and we will always ensure that they never happen again. Works Cited Fitzhugh, George. All the cannibals! : Or, slaves without masters. Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1960. Print. Douglass, Frederick and David W. Blight. “Caleb Bingham: Dialogue Between a Master and a Slave 1797.” Account of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave: With Related Materials. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin, 2003. Print.