Southern paternalism slavery refers to a socio-economic system that prevailed in the southern United States during the era of American slavery. It involves the hierarchical relationship between white slaveholders, who were predominantly of Southern descent, and African American slaves.
The term "southern paternalism" refers to the ideology held by many white southerners that they possessed a moral obligation to care for and protect their enslaved individuals. It was a belief system that sought to justify the institution of slavery by asserting that slaves were inherently inferior and needed the guidance and control of white masters. In this context, paternalism was used as a veneer to rationalize the oppression and exploitation of African American individuals, particularly slaves.
The concept of paternalism aimed to create a sense of dependency among slaves, treating them as childlike and incapable of making decisions for themselves. Slaveholders believed it was their duty to provide for the physical needs of their slaves, such as shelter, food, and clothing, while also claiming to offer some supervision, protection, and even education to ensure the well-being of their slaves.
However, this form of paternalism was ultimately a façade, as it allowed slaveholders to maintain control over their slaves and perpetuate the exploitative system of forced labor. Slavery, within the framework of southern paternalism, involved the subjugation and ownership of African Americans, depriving them of their basic civil liberties and reducing them to property. It was an unquestionably oppressive and dehumanizing practice that inflicted immense suffering on enslaved individuals for the economic benefit of their white masters.
