What are the defining features of, what is referred to as, “mercantile capitalism?” How do these features account for the grouping and rankings of human beings during this historical moment in the development of the world economic system? Why is this viewed by some scholars as the start of “racial capitalism?”
Each essay should be no more than 5 pages. Please include a reference page (not included in the 5 pages of essays) and use APA format for the references. In your response, please incorporate at least two of the authors/researchers from the readings (required or recommended) assigned in that module area.
READINGS:
- Gerald Horne – The Apocalypse of Settler Colonialism
- Horne discusses how capitalism, slavery, and white supremacy were interconnected during the 17th century. His work is key to explaining how mercantile capitalism helped establish racial hierarchies.
- Barbara Fields – Slavery, Race, and Ideology
- Fields argues that race is not a natural category but an ideological construct used to justify economic exploitation, making her work essential for explaining the transition from mercantile to racial capitalism.
- Walter Johnson – To Remake the World: Slavery, Racial Capitalism, and Justice
- Johnson explicitly connects capitalism and slavery, showing how economic structures were built on racial hierarchies. His work strengthens the argument that mercantile capitalism laid the groundwork for racial capitalism.
- David Roediger – How Race Survived U.S. History
- Roediger explains how racial divisions persisted throughout U.S. history to serve capitalist interests. His book helps show the long-term impact of mercantile capitalism on racial categorization.