Orestes on the Slave Labor Advantages Essay (Critical Writing)

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

The subject of slavery and its different forms had been a thorny issue before the American Civil War. The country was divided into two factions. The South favored the slave labor system in which slaves were the property of their masters who took care of them. On the other hand, the North was in favor of the free labor wage system in which individuals were paid on the basis of their work done.

According to Orestes, in due consideration, the slave labor had several advantages over free labor (Dolbeare, & Cummings, 2010). This paper looks at Orestes’s argument in favor of slave wages which is summarized in the following statement, “The laborer at wages has all the disadvantages of freedom and none of its Blessings”, and draws support for this stand from the works of Debs contained in the ‘Revolutionary Unionism’ (Dolbeare, & Cummings, 2010, p.208).

From the very beginning, Orestes says that the freedom enjoyed by a slave laborer and a free laborer is the same (Dolbeare, & Cummings, 2010). The only exception consists in the fact that the free laborer is exposed to all the misgivings of slavery unlike the slave laborer. It is not uncommon for people willing to work to pursue job opportunities for several days in a free labor market.

At a glance, it may not be easy to justify Orestes’s point of view because one would assume he advocates for slavery (Dolbeare, & Cummings, 2010). He highlights the pains of a person who wants to meet the expectations of his/her family yet he or she is unable to meet them (Dolbeare, & Cummings, 2010).

At times when people volunteer to work just for food, such pleas fall on deaf ears. In fact, it seems that the free labor state has offered an opportunity for the capitalists to enjoy all the advantages of slave system without imposing the expenses and the abhorrence of being a slave holder (Dolbeare, & Cummings, 2010).

Eugene in his speech, “Revolutionary Unionism”, depicts the picture of free labor system in the strongest derogatory terms (Dolbeare, & Cummings, 2010). He correctly underlines the issue that the working men are responsible for their wealth. They do this through a great deal of sacrifice not because of the endurance of privation, but because of reduced choices. The sacrifices they endure encompass the mind, the limb, as well as life.

In contrast, Debs maintains that the laborers live in wretched states of poverty and dependence (Dolbeare, & Cummings, 2010). I have to agree with the author when he further points out that, even though people labor in different jobs, their circumstances are always the same (Dolbeare, & Cummings, 2010).

I support Eugene and Orestes that, what the laborers need are not labor unions that still argue for a fair pay for a normal day’s work but rather some revolutionary actions (Dolbeare, & Cummings, 2010). Such unions will endeavor to go beyond the different industries to capture the plight of every single working man.

To regain their bargaining position in this highly industrialized, capitalistic, and market oriented society, it is advisable for the laborers to unite outside departments. Otherwise, the trend perpetuated by the system is to value labor more than an individual person who performs the job. No wonder the laborers are paid only based on their living necessities hence they require the minimum wage bill, being an ultimate deprivation of freedom, to say the least.

Reference

Dolbeare, K.M., & Cummings, M. S. (2010). American Political Thought (6th ed.). Washington, D.C.: CQ Press.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2019, April 16). Orestes on the Slave Labor Advantages. https://ivypanda.com/essays/brownson-and-debs/

Work Cited

"Orestes on the Slave Labor Advantages." IvyPanda, 16 Apr. 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/brownson-and-debs/.

References

IvyPanda. (2019) 'Orestes on the Slave Labor Advantages'. 16 April.

References

IvyPanda. 2019. "Orestes on the Slave Labor Advantages." April 16, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/brownson-and-debs/.

1. IvyPanda. "Orestes on the Slave Labor Advantages." April 16, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/brownson-and-debs/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Orestes on the Slave Labor Advantages." April 16, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/brownson-and-debs/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1