Reparations: how to apply for yours

Quote: Gandler

Should slaves have received reparations in 1865 when freed?

I am of the opinion that they should have. They were unjustly enslaved, and used for forced labor in horrendous conditions. I can't think of somebody who deserves reparations more.

Reparations from whom though? The government did not enslave them.

The big problem was that you cannot just free a person who has been a slave all their life and hope for the best. Some will do OK, in the south this would probably be those in smaller-scale slavery where the master owned say 1-10 slaves. They would have had some even if little interaction with free society. They would have picked up some life skills.

But if they were on a large scale plantation with 50-100 not nearly as much.

Direct reparations would have been throwing money away. We should have had a better transition policy.

Quote: AZDuffman

Reparations from whom though? The government did not enslave them.

The big problem was that you cannot just free a person who has been a slave all their life and hope for the best. Some will do OK, in the south this would probably be those in smaller-scale slavery where the master owned say 1-10 slaves. They would have had some even if little interaction with free society. They would have picked up some life skills.

But if they were on a large scale plantation with 50-100 not nearly as much.

Direct reparations would have been throwing money away. We should have had a better transition policy.

It's the same problem with North Korea, if NK was liberated overnight 98% of the population would be unable to function in a free society.

That being said the government facilitated a land where they could be enslaved, so yes, I feel government reperations would have been justified at the time. Though, a fund using fines from the plantation owners would have been good too.

Quote: Gandler

It's the same problem with North Korea, if NK was liberated overnight 98% of the population would be unable to function in a free society.

That being said the government facilitated a land where they could be enslaved, so yes, I feel government reperations would have been justified at the time. Though, a fund using fines from the plantation owners would have been good too.

The government tore the nation apart over the issue. Slavery was normal worldwide until the 1800s so "facilitating" is not the proper way to look at it.

"Fines" would not work as the owners would not have much cash. And I will repeat, no matter what, just handing out cash would be a disaster. Same as just handing out welfare has not solved anything and in many ways made things worse.