Disease Power And Capitalism In The Cotton Kingdom

The Cotton Kingdom, a term used to describe the southern region of the United States during the 19th century, was built on the labor-intensive production of cotton and became a major economic powerhouse. However, behind the wealth and power of the Cotton Kingdom, a dark reality was hidden - the detrimental effects of disease and capitalism on the enslaved individuals who toiled on the plantations.

The Rise of the Cotton Kingdom

In the late 18th century, advancements in textile machinery led to a surge in demand for cotton, which became a profitable cash crop for planters in the southern states. This led to an exponential increase in cotton plantations, transforming the region into the Cotton Kingdom. As the demand for cotton grew, so did the need for labor to work the fields.

Enslaved African Americans, forcibly brought to America against their will, became the backbone of this labor force. The enslaved individuals were subjected to inhumane treatment and living conditions. However, it wasn't just the physical abuse and lack of basic human rights that they faced; disease was another deadly enemy that plagued their lives.

Necropolis: Disease, Power, and Capitalism in the Cotton Kingdom

by Kathryn Olivarius (Kindle Edition)

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	28705 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	339 pages

FREE

Disease in the Cotton Kingdom

The unsanitary conditions on the plantations provided a breeding ground for various diseases. Inadequate housing, limited access to clean water, and poor nutrition made enslaved individuals especially susceptible to illnesses. Malaria, yellow fever, dysentery, and typhoid were prevalent diseases that took the lives of many.

Malaria, transmitted through mosquito bites, was particularly rampant in the swamplands where many plantations were situated. The disease caused recurring bouts of fever, weakness, and in severe cases, death. Yellow fever, another mosquito-borne illness, caused symptoms ranging from fever and headaches to internal bleeding and organ failure. These diseases, coupled with the backbreaking work and malnutrition, weakened the enslaved individuals, making them even more susceptible to other ailments.

The Capitalistic Drive

Capitalism played a pivotal role in exacerbating the impact of disease on the enslaved population of the Cotton Kingdom. Plantation owners were primarily driven by profit and economic gain, which often trumped concerns for the well-being of their human property. Slaves were considered valuable investments, and their labor was ruthlessly exploited to maximize cotton production.

Owners refused to invest in better living conditions, healthcare, or preventive measures to combat diseases. Their main focus was on maintaining profitability, regardless of the human cost. This approach perpetuated a cycle of suffering and death for the enslaved individuals who were already living under the harsh realities of forced labor and oppression.

Resistance and Resilience

Despite the dire circumstances, the enslaved population showed remarkable resilience and resistance. Many African Americans drew upon their indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants and remedies to alleviate their suffering. They developed their own healthcare systems within their communities, relying on traditional practices and herbal medicine to treat the sick and heal themselves. This displays the incredible strength and resourcefulness of those who endured the brutality of the Cotton Kingdom.

The Legacy Today

The legacy of disease, power, and capitalism in the Cotton Kingdom continues to reverberate through history. The impact of systemic racism, exploitation, and the disregard for human life during this era has left lasting scars. Understanding and acknowledging this dark chapter in America's past is crucial to addressing the systemic inequities that persist to this day.

The Cotton Kingdom serves as a chilling reminder of the devastating consequences of unchecked capitalism and the deep-rooted racism that shaped the development of the United States. By examining this history, we can learn from the mistakes of the past and strive for a more equitable and just future.

The Cotton Kingdom's position as an economic powerhouse in the 19th century was built on the exploitation and suffering of enslaved African Americans. Disease, fueled by unsanitary living conditions and exacerbated by the capitalist drive for profit, claimed countless lives. The resilience and resistance displayed by the enslaved individuals stand as a testament to the human spirit.

It is imperative that we address the atrocities of this era and acknowledge the lasting impact that disease, power, and capitalism had on the lives of those who were enslaved. By doing so, we can work towards dismantling the systemic inequities that persist today and strive for a more just society for all.

Necropolis: Disease, Power, and Capitalism in the Cotton Kingdom

by Kathryn Olivarius (Kindle Edition)

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	28705 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	339 pages

FREE

Disease is thought to be a great leveler of humanity, but in antebellum New Orleans acquiring immunity from the scourge of yellow fever magnified the brutal inequities of slave-powered capitalism.

Antebellum New Orleans sat at the heart of America’s slave and cotton kingdoms. It was also where yellow fever epidemics killed as many as 150,000 people during the nineteenth century. With little understanding of mosquito-borne viruses—and meager public health infrastructure—a person’s only protection against the scourge was to “get acclimated” by surviving the disease. About half of those who contracted yellow fever died.

Repeated epidemics bolstered New Orleans’s strict racial hierarchy by introducing another hierarchy, what Kathryn Olivarius terms “immunocapital.” As this highly original analysis shows, white survivors could leverage their immunity as evidence that they had paid their biological dues and could then pursue economic and political advancement. For enslaved Blacks, the story was different. Immunity protected them from yellow fever, but as embodied capital, they saw the social and monetary value of their acclimation accrue to their white owners. Whereas immunity conferred opportunity and privilege on whites, it relegated enslaved people to the most grueling labor.

The question of good health—who has it, who doesn’t, and why—is always in part political. Necropolis shows how powerful nineteenth-century white Orleanians—all allegedly immune—pushed this politics to the extreme. They constructed a society that capitalized mortal risk and equated perceived immunity with creditworthiness and reliability. Instead of trying to curb yellow fever through sanitation or quarantines, immune white Orleanians took advantage of the chaos disease caused. Immunological discrimination therefore became one more form of bias in a society premised on inequality, one more channel by which capital disciplined and divided the population.