Cam's review of The half has never been told

Cam reviewed The half has never been told by Edward E. Baptist

Edward E. Baptist: The half has never been told (Hardcover, 2014, Basic Books)

Review of 'The half has never been told' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This book takes direct aim at two myths:
1. That slavery in America was no different from historical slavery, and was generally benign if not beneficial to the enslaved.
2. That slavery would have died out on its own as an inferior economic mode incompatible with the forming worldwide capitalism.

It does this by explaining how American slavery was incomparably cruel precisely because of its integral part of worldwide capitalism and how slave-based cotton production was the driving force for capital markets in the US, complete with all the cruelties in American history, including Indian Removal to drive land speculation to add more plantations to expand slavery and production.

Honestly, everyone should read this.