SOCY 1039 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Investment, Harvey Samuel Firestone, Polygamy
23 Mar 2016
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Profits were invested in industries that did not depend on enslavement, but still included exploitation of african people and resources. Firms exploited africa within africa, where enslavement were more indirect forms (coercing people from being soldiers into porters while no one was physically owned) Profits were massive, which is why colonial trade was so popular. Harvey firestone: used liberia for rubber, akron, ohio: manufacturing location that produced tires. Cadbury depended on african cocoa to make chocolate that africans did not even eat. Unilever was a company that also depended on african resources. Colonialism enabled capitalist in europe to offer better and safer working conditions, pay european factory workers better, and provide them perks that lessened the possibility of class conflict and revolution. Mass production made it possible for such things to happen. Only civilized people were paid a civilized wage. Lack of food was a political problem rather than a natural problem.
