Slavery Was A Bummer, But Hey -- Capitalism!

Conclusion from student paper today (the second one along these lines):

"The use of slaves has been around far longer than any one could actually imagine. It is very unethical and it is great that it isn't still legal in today's society. However, it was one of the main building blocks for the expansion of the economy in the past. Slaves had much involvement in the growth of mining and especially sugar production in Latin America. This diversity offered the Latin American culture with a constant source of labor and growth in the economy. It is especially shown by the dominance of the sugar industry in colonial Latin America, which would have been impossible to obtain without the help of the African slaves. Slavery has hurt many people over its years of existence, but if there was one good thing that came from it that would be the economy that it helped to create, which is still going strong today and should be for the centuries to come. Slavery is a horrible thing but just look what it helped build!"

OK -- he's not factually wrong, I just live in such a bubble that I forget sometimes that we're supposed to be happy to have an engine of global capitalism that feeds off human bodies and blood in order to provide some people with unlimited access to sugary soda and diamonds and cheap plastic toys. I'm sure the slaves of the past (and present) are just thrilled they could help with the construction of such a system. Sometimes in education it just feels like, as they say, throwing jell-o at the wall. Some stuff sticks, some doesn't. Slavery bad? Yep, everyone seems to agree on that. Any connection to capitalism itself as a questionable and morally bankrupt framework? Not sticking. Anyway, at least grades are done.