How Does The Slave Trade Highlight The Dark Side Of The Enlightenment?
The darker reflection of the enlightenment period can best be observed in the manner in which its notions were applied in the justification of slavery. To begin with, the Enlightenment period did not only create fresh thoughts support by evidence but worked to instill each notion in every individual’s mind which contributed to behavioral and thoughts changes (Alexander & Rucker, 2010). The primary idea that shows the darker portion of enlightenment lies on its confidence in the legitimacy of worldwide truth. The Enlightenment period perceived truth as a global and believable notion. This notion was, therefore, applicable to anybody regardless of any consideration. Enlightenment philosophers progressed conviction and dictatorship as the global idea of existing the best life (Alexander & Rucker, 2010). Once their thoughts were understood then it was then utilized as a background for judging each of them.
Enlightenment philosophies particularly drove several opposing issues in the globe (Grimm, 2009). Some enlightenment philosophers, therefore, defended that freedom was a natural human privilege and with that rationale and scientific experience neither the government nor religious was responsible for human development. However, enlightenment notions additionally providing support for slavery particularly grounded on racial hierarchy. In that Enlightenment philosophers created racial segregation via their general promotion of race superiority and inferiority (Alexander & Rucker, 2010). They believed that slave and blacks, in particular, were mediocre to the whites and therefore, they deserved less freedom. It is apparent that enlightenment thinkers normally developed profound racial prejudice perspectives on the no-whites. The philosophers completely understood the concepts of racial differences and they worked on promoting the natural differences amid races (Alexander & Rucker, 2010).
The enlightenment desire for practicality, prudence and scientific knowledge inevitably resulted in the notion of racial categorization. In that their practicability promoted perceivable distinctions amid individuals which highlighted their natural distinctions (Alexander & Rucker, 2010). On the other hand, rationalism suggested actual inner differences particularly the cognitive ones in the quest to providing explanations for the professed behavioral inequalities. The idea of savage among the philosophers was common, a notion that mainly promoted the belief that slaves were justified on the fact that they needed to be rescued from suffering. In this context, they promoted the thought that slaves were from the inferior races based on their natural and cognitive distinctions with the civilized whites subjected to quality education and civilization. This thought created rather negative and missed perception that sought to defend but slightly rejects slavery via the use of scientific and natural beliefs. For instance from Marie Jean, ‘’No one constantly supposed that the human mind could consume all the realities of nature’’ (Grimm, 2009).
Throughout the enlightenment period, equivalent, racial distinctions, and superiority were utilized commonly to reflect the uneducated, basic and rough features that white’s thinkers wished to compare with their self-based civilized features (Grimm, 2009). In this notion, they assumed both cultural as well as racial superiority with the English while the savage idea communicated the general thought of their lack of privileges. It is thus apparent that the dimmer side of enlightenment was based on its notion of racial hierarchy and natural differences among the groups. In that based on the thinker’s knowledge, they held profound beliefs on racial superiority. Their notions created grounds for comparison where most individuals were mainly involved in highlighting differences (Alexander & Rucker, 2010). This, in turn, resulted in racial segregation among the existing groups. This, therefore, demonstrates that the enlightenment time was associated with positive as well as undesirable aspects of slavery.
References
Alexander, L. M., & Rucker, W. C. (2010). Encyclopedia of African American history: Volume 3. Santa Barbara, Calif: Abc-clio.
Baron de Grimm. (2009). Historical and Literary Memoirs and Anecdotes. H. Colburn, Pdf.
