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I deny it also (as you can see from my post). The Arab slave trade
in the 10th century, extensive as it was, *neither was capitalist nor
gave rise to capitalism*. So it follows logically that the existence
of slavery and the slave trade _alone_ cannot explain the origins of
capitalism. Slavery & the slave trade do not necessarily lead to
capitalism, though *once* capitalism arises, it can make use of them
& *reshape them in its image* when wage labor, indentured servitude,
etc. are not available.
Well, now you are agreeing with me (& Brenner, etc.) more than Lou
might like, since in effect you are arguing that for modern chattel
slavery (= producing commodities for the capitalist world market) to
emerge, there had to be, first of all, *the existing capitalist
relations* (which must have emerged *either earlier than or
simultaneously as* modern chattel slavery) *in which it could be
incorporated*.
The question is what gave rise to the capitalist relations in which
modern chattel slavery got incorporated & transformed.
((((((((((
CB: Well, round and round, but we could say that capitalist relations of production
were the result of two processes 1) removal of English peasants from the land and 2)
European enslavement and colonializing of non-Europeans and Europeans. So, that
modern chattel slavery was incorporated in capitalism from its , well, primitive or
initial or original accumulation of capital. Afterall, Marx says that slavery and
colonialism were the chief momenta of the primitive accumulation.
"Chief" is most important or influential in my dictionary. And my dictionary says
"momentum" means impetus, essential or constituent element.
So, for Marx , slavery and colonialism were the most influential impetuses or
constituent elements of the primitive accumulation of capitalism. I don't understand
how one get around the conclusion that Marx thought that slavery and colonialism were
main causes of the beginning of capitalism.
It even sounds like Marx has Jim Blaut's position to me, which is interesting,
because, Marx says that in the chapter on the genesis of the industrial capitalist,
and Blaut says he has factory slave labor early. One might guess that roughly the
momenta of the agricultural strand was the Wood thesis and the momenta of the
industrial strand were slavery and colonialism
