Conquest, Slavery and Genocide in the Americas

In this chapter, Professor Sachs elaborates on Adam Smith’s point that European trade and navigation brought plunder and misery to native inhabitants of many regions of the world, as impunity often accompanies vast imbalances of wealth and military power. The Columbian Exchange also brought disease and pathogens, that, in addition to direct violence and slavery, decimated Native American populations. The Europeans also began the triangular trade with African slavery, and were responsible for genocide which they used to power agriculture and industry.

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