A Treatise on the Patriarchal, or Co-operative System of Society facts for kids

A Treatise on the Patriarchal, or Co-operative System of Society as it Exists in Some Governments and Colonies in America, and in the United States, Under the Name of Slavery, with its Necessity and Advantages was the first major book published in the United States that defended slavery. It was written by Zephaniah Kingsley, a slave owner and planter from Florida. He was also a Quaker.

The book was first published in 1828 under the name “A Resident of Florida.” Kingsley's name appeared at the end of the Preface. The Treatise was reprinted three more times (in 1829, 1833, and 1834). This shows that many people read it. No other writing that supported slavery in the United States was reprinted as often.

Kingsley believed that free people of color should have rights, including owning property. He thought they were treated better in Spanish Florida than in the Southern United States. He argued that they were good citizens and helped the country.

Kingsley's Ideas on Society and Slavery

Zephaniah Kingsley wrote the Treatise to share his views on slavery and society. He wanted to change public opinion about "free people of color." He called himself a "votary of rational policy," meaning he believed in sensible and logical ways of doing things.

In his book, Kingsley stated that his goal was "to destroy the prejudice existing against slavery." He argued that if slavery was practiced with "justice" and "benevolence" (kindness), enslaved people could be as happy as free people. He also claimed they were more productive and helpful to the state.

Kingsley believed that the "Patriarchal System of Society" (which he linked to slavery) was stronger and more lasting than other types of societies.

Why Kingsley Believed Slavery Was Necessary

Kingsley had several reasons for defending slavery in his Treatise. He thought that enslaved people were well-suited for certain tasks and climates.

Blacks and Hot Climates

Kingsley argued that black people were better suited than white people for working in hot climates. He wrote that an enslaved person, treated fairly by a kind owner, could be happier than a poor white person. He claimed that the work of an enslaved person, guided by smart direction, was like a "constant stream" of productivity.

Stronger Nations with Enslaved People

Kingsley also believed that a state with enslaved people would be more powerful during a war. He looked at other places where slavery existed.

• Brazil: He mentioned a war between Brazil and "the Republic of Buenos Ayres" (the Cisplatine War). He said this war showed the strength of a state with enslaved people compared to a white anti-slavery state. He noted that Brazilian enslaved people did not join the enemy, which he linked to "humane and just treatment." In Brazil, enslaved people could sometimes buy their freedom and own property. Free people of color were also protected by law.
• British Colonies: Kingsley claimed that in British, Spanish, French, and Dutch colonies, free people of color were becoming ready to take the place of white people. He believed white people struggled in hot climates. He said many free people of color were wealthy and educated. They had influence over enslaved people and helped prevent uprisings.
• Haiti: He noted that in Haiti (which he spelled "Hayti"), many freed enslaved people remained productive after their revolution. However, he claimed that overall productivity dropped once the "patriarchal restraint" of the old system was gone. He felt this was because people had less need for hard work in Haiti's warm climate.

The Virtues of Enslaved People

Kingsley claimed that under a fair system, enslaved people were safe, productive, and easy to manage. He described them as "sober, discreet, honest and obliging." He also said they had better moral character than many poor white people.

However, he noted that in slaveholding states, white people often had strong prejudice against people of other skin colors. He argued that less prejudice would be better, especially since people of color were "absolutely necessary." He worried that white people in the "up country" were ready to "exterminate" (destroy) all colored people if there was an uprising. He felt they governed by "fear and force" instead of "wisdom and policy."

Kingsley praised North Carolina for its "liberal provisions" for free people of color. He believed that allowing free black citizens to vote had not caused any problems there. (However, the right for free black people to vote in North Carolina was taken away in 1835). He also suggested that taxes and laws should be fair for everyone, like in the British West India colonies.

He concluded that Southern plantations would be most productive if there was no fear of slave uprisings and if they could resist "war or invasion."

Racial Mixing as a Solution

Kingsley believed that mixing races could help solve the "problem" of racial prejudice. He thought it would make society stronger and healthier. He argued that people of mixed black and white parents were healthier and more attractive than either Africans or Europeans. He saw his own mixed-race children as a way to prevent a future race war.

He wrote that there was no natural dislike between different groups based on color. He felt that laws that treated people unfairly because of their skin color should be removed. He believed that if nature was left alone, it would find a good solution to these problems.