--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: slavery was an economic institution of…" description: "\"“slavery was an economic institution of the first importance. It had been the basis of Greek economy and had built up the Roman Empire. In modern times..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/eric-williams-26513_coffee-cup_slavery-was-an-economic-institution-of-t_308892.jpg" --- # slavery was an economic institution of the first… ![“slavery was an economic institution of the first importance. It had been the basis of Greek economy and had built up the Roman Empire. In modern times it provided the sugar for the tea and the coffee cups of the Western world. It produced the cotton to serve as a base for modern capitalism. It…” quote by Eric Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/eric-williams-26513_coffee-cup_slavery-was-an-economic-institution-of-t_308892.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/eric-williams-26513_coffee-cup_slavery-was-an-economic-institution-of-t_308892.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/eric-williams-26513_coffee-cup_slavery-was-an-economic-institution-of-t_308892.jpg) > ““slavery was an economic institution of the first importance. It had been the basis of Greek economy and had built up the Roman Empire. In modern times it provided the sugar for the tea and the coffee cups of the Western world. It produced the cotton to serve as a base for modern capitalism. It made the American South and the Caribbean islands.”” [Eric Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Slavery was central to ancient economies and later fueled modern capitalism, shaping global trade and wealth. **In simple terms:** Slavery built ancient and modern economies, influencing today’s wealth. Key Takeaway Recognize historic roots of economic inequality. Themes economics history inequality colonialism Mood serious reflective Type analytical historical When to use this quote - educational curricula - policy analysis - social justice advocacy Key Concepts exploitation global trade wealth formation Questions to Reflect On - How does historical exploitation affect current economies? - What policies can address these legacies? A Different Perspective Complex causes beyond slavery also drove capitalism; oversimplification can mislead. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capitalism American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism-american-2935389/) [Coffee cup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffee-cup/) [Economic Institution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-institution-2935388/) [Institution Importance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institution-importance-2935387/) [Modern times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-times/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Slavery Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery-economic-2521165/) ## Related quotes > [As for slavery, there is no need for me to speak of its bad aspects. 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