On the recordJanuary 1, 1881
He who can say to his fellow-man, “You shall serve me or starve,” is a master, and his subject is a slave.
Said by
Frederick Douglass
Source
gutenberg.orgFrederick Douglass: “He who can say to his fellow-man, “You shall serve me or starve,” is a master, and his subject is a slave.”
Editor's note · Context
From his autobiography, Douglass offers a stark definition of mastery and slavery, asserting that economic coercion, the power to dictate survival, constitutes the essence of the relationship.
Share
More from Frederick Douglass
Jan 1, 1881
The laws which determine the destinies of individuals and nations are impartial and eternal.
Jan 1, 1881
The friendless and hungry boy, in his extremest need, found himself in the strong protecting arms of his mother.
Jan 1, 1881
I believed I should get enough to eat at Covey’s, even if I suffered in other respects, and this to a hungry man is not a prospect to be regarded with indifference.