Enslaved Africans were treated as commodities in the capitalist system from "summary" of Capitalism & Slavery by Eric Eustace Williams
Enslaved Africans were considered as nothing more than units of labor in the capitalist system. They were treated as commodities to be bought, sold, and exploited for profit. Their humanity was disregarded in favor of their economic value to the slave owners and traders. The enslaved Africans were viewed as mere tools to be used in the production process. Their well-being and dignity were of little concern to those who profited from their labor. The capitalist system thrived on the exploitation of these enslaved individuals, as their forced labor contributed to the accumulation of wealth for the slave owners. The commodification of enslaved Africans extended beyond their labor value. They were also bought and sold like any other commodity on the market. Their lives were reduced to numbers on a ledger, their worth determined solely by their ability to generate profit for their owners. The capitalist system perpetuated the dehumanization of enslaved Africans, treating them as property rather than as human beings. This devaluation of their humanity allowed for the widespread abuse and mistreatment of these individuals, as their owners saw them as nothing more than a means to an end. In the eyes of the capitalist system, enslaved Africans were expendable commodities that could be discarded once they had outlived their usefulness. Their lives were disposable, their suffering justified in the pursuit of profit. This dehumanization of enslaved individuals was a fundamental aspect of the capitalist system, as it allowed for the exploitation and oppression of a vulnerable population for the benefit of a privileged few.
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