The Profit of Slavery

        Despite common beliefs held my many historians today, slavery was, in fact, profitable. The market value alone of slaves suggests profitability. In 1815, a typical U.S. slave was worth $250; by 1839 the price was $500; and by 1860 it had climbed to $900. Prices of slaves would not have quadrupled if they were not a means of profit for the owner. The average price of slaves quadrupled because the average Southern crop production per slave quadrupled. Slaves increased in …

…three explanations all lead to this same conclusion: slavery was profitable. Not only were slaves good investments because of their high value appreciation level, but they also produced profits from work done on the plantations. Slavery has been proven to be such a good investment strategy that it is still used today in some South Asian countries. If it was not so morally wrong, slavery would probably still be used in the United States today.