A question about an inscription inside the Jefferson memorial
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Accepted answer
It appears that the sentence:
Commerce between master and slave is despotism.
Is an abridgement of something that Jefferson did write:
The whole commerce between master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the most boisterous passions, the most unremitting despotism on the one part, and degrading submissions on the other. Our children see this, and learn to imitate it.
Now - this was over 200 years ago, and the word commerce does not necessarily convey the most used current meaning - trading of commodities - here.
Jefferson is referring to the whole relationship between master and slave - on the one hand, the master is a despot, ruling absolutely over the life of the slave, while the slave is forced to submit to this rule.
I should think that any despotism should concern Jefferson, as he was one of the founding fathers, and very keen on liberty. While of course he was a slave-owner, and conducted himself questionably by today's standards, Jefferson worked very hard to bring change to the social climate of 200 years and break the despotism he saw in slavery.
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