"Neither can men, by the same principles, be considered as lands, goods, or houses, among possessions. It is necessary that all property should be inferiour to its possessor. But how does the slave differ from his master, but by chance?"
- Thomas Clarkson
About this Quote
In this quote, Thomas Clarkson is making the argument that humans can not be thought about the like inanimate things such as lands, items, or houses, which are belongings. He discusses that it's crucial for property to be inferior to its holder, which suggests that human beings are of higher value than items. Clarkson then concerns how slaves are various from their masters, suggesting that their distinctions are approximate and not based upon any fundamental supremacy or inferiority. By making this argument, Clarkson is promoting for the abolition of slavery and challenging the social standards that validated it.
"The whole commerce between master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the most boisterous passions, the most unremitting despotism on the one part, and degrading submissions on the other. Our children see this, and learn to imitate it"