“Many if not most slaves would have each readily jumped, and many if not most slaves would each readily jump, at the opportunity to be a master, if such an opportunity presents or had presented itself.”

Meaning

This reads as a blunt claim about human desire under oppression, and about how power can tempt almost anyone if the roles were reversed. It can be taken to mean that cruelty is not reserved for a special class of people, and that suffering does not automatically produce moral purity. In a discussion about history or power, it lands as a warning about what people may become when given authority.

When It Was Said

Who It Was Said To

Historical Context

Source

Original Language & Translation

Originally said in English.

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