--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many Southern Plantation owners were…" description: "\"Many Southern Plantation owners were working towards the day when they could convert their investment to more profitable industrial production as had b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf5/g-edward-griffin-9084_abolition_many-southern-plantation-owners-were-wor_1204647.jpg" --- # Many Southern Plantation owners were working towards the… ![“Many Southern Plantation owners were working towards the day when they could convert their investment to more profitable industrial production as had been done in the North, and others felt that freemen who were paid wages would be more efficient than slaves who had no incentive to work. For the…” quote by G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf5/g-edward-griffin-9084_abolition_many-southern-plantation-owners-were-wor_1204647.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf5/g-edward-griffin-9084_abolition_many-southern-plantation-owners-were-wor_1204647.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf5/g-edward-griffin-9084_abolition_many-southern-plantation-owners-were-wor_1204647.jpg) > “Many Southern Plantation owners were working towards the day when they could convert their investment to more profitable industrial production as had been done in the North, and others felt that freemen who were paid wages would be more efficient than slaves who had no incentive to work. For the present, however, they were stuck with the system they inherited. They felt that a complete and sudden abolition of slavery with no transition period would destroy their economy and leave many of the former slaves to starve - all of which actually happened in due course.” [G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Southern plantation owners feared economic collapse if slavery ended abruptly, so they preferred gradual transition to wage labor. **In simple terms:** Owners worried abrupt abolition would ruin the economy. Key Takeaway Consider gradual change to avoid shock. Themes economics history slavery transition labor agriculture Mood reflective serious Type historical analytical When to use this quote - post‑civil‑war reconstruction - modern labor policy - economic development - historical analysis Key Concepts capitalism incentive structures industrialization social hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - Was gradual emancipation ever truly possible? - How do economic concerns balance with human rights? A Different Perspective Assumes gradual transition is feasible and humane, ignoring moral urgency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abolition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abolition/) [Abolition of slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abolition-of-slavery/) [Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Incentives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incentives/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Investment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investment/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Transition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transition/) [Wages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wages/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [My forebears refused to cut the sugar cane for plantation owners, and I am recognisably a product of that background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/my-forebears-refused-to-cut-the-sugar-cane-for-plantation-owners-and/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [“The past is not alive to them the way it is to Georges; they do not remember—and thus do not see the reality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-reiss/the-past-is-not-alive-to-them-the-way-it-is-to-georges-they-do-not/) [Tom Reiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-reiss/) > [In this respect, granting homosexuals the right to marry is like granting plantation owners the right to own slaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/in-this-respect-granting-homosexuals-the-right-to-marry-is-like/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [If Lincoln's primary goal in the War was not the abolition of slavery but simply to preserve the Union, the question arises: Why did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/if-lincoln-s-primary-goal-in-the-war-was-not-the-abolition-of-slavery/) [G. 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Edward Griffin > [When governments claim to derive their authority from any source other than the governed, it always leads to the destruction of liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/when-governments-claim-to-derive-their-authority-from-any-source/) [G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) > [The timid and fearful cannot defend liberty -- or anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/the-timid-and-fearful-cannot-defend-liberty-or-anything-else/) [G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) > [The jury had never been allowed to see any evidence that Laetrile actually worked. (Yes Virginia, they can bury medical breakthroughs in court this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/the-jury-had-never-been-allowed-to-see-any-evidence-that-laetrile/) [G. 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Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) > [The information that follows is taken primarily...from government hearings and reports published from various Senate and House committees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/the-information-that-follows-is-taken-primarily-from-government/) [G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) > [“The accepted version of history is that the Federal Reserve was created to stabilize our economy. One of the most widely-used textbooks on this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/the-accepted-version-of-history-is-that-the-federal-reserve-was/) [G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) > [The nation's first experiment with the income tax was tried at this time; another violation of the Constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/the-nation-s-first-experiment-with-the-income-tax-was-tried-at-this/) [G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) > [Error is better than apathy. Error can be corrected in time to change the outcome. Apathy is seldom corrected until it is too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/error-is-better-than-apathy-error-can-be-corrected-in-time-to-change/) [G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) > [There is simply no limitation on the realistic power of the U.N. over us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/there-is-simply-no-limitation-on-the-realistic-power-of-the-u-n-over/) [G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) > [If Lincoln's primary goal in the War was not the abolition of slavery but simply to preserve the Union, the question arises: Why did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/if-lincoln-s-primary-goal-in-the-war-was-not-the-abolition-of-slavery/) [G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) > [Whenever a partnership is formed, there has to be a benefit to the partners; otherwise, they don't form it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/whenever-a-partnership-is-formed-there-has-to-be-a-benefit-to-the/) [G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) > [No one in America fully understands the constantly changing Internal Revenue Code. Agents of the IRS do not, judges do not, congressmen do not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/no-one-in-america-fully-understands-the-constantly-changing-internal/) [G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) > [The European powers had been anxious to see the United States become embroiled in a civil war and eventually break into two smaller and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/the-european-powers-had-been-anxious-to-see-the-united-states-become/) [G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) [Explore all 75 G. Edward Griffin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) ## More Abolition quotes > [Unpleasant questions are being raised about Mother's Day. Is this day necessary? . . . Isn't it bad public policy? . . . No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/unpleasant-questions-are-being-raised-about-mother-s-day-is-this-day/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [Anarchism is a definite intellectual current in the life of our times, whose adherents advocate the abolition of economic monopolies and of all political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-rocker/anarchism-is-a-definite-intellectual-current-in-the-life-of-our-times/) [Rudolf Rocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-rocker/) > [Anarchism as a political philosophy seeks to dissolve all forms of authority and power, and if possible, wishes their complete abolition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-marshall/anarchism-as-a-political-philosophy-seeks-to-dissolve-all-forms-of/) [Peter Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-marshall/) > [“I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/i-am-aware-that-many-object-to-the-severity-of-my-language-but-is/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [It seems like cloud cuckoo land. If anyone is suggesting that I would go to Parliament and suggest the abolition of the Pound Sterling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/it-seems-like-cloud-cuckoo-land-if-anyone-is-suggesting-that-i-would/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [We invite people working for peace to span generations and national boundaries, and gather together to communicate. Let us firmly join hands and foster…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iccho-itoh/we-invite-people-working-for-peace-to-span-generations-and-national/) [Iccho Itoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iccho-itoh/) > [Insofar as we may at all claim that slavery has been abolished today, we owe its abolition to the practical consequences of science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/insofar-as-we-may-at-all-claim-that-slavery-has-been-abolished-today/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [ You have not been mistaken in supposing my views and feeling to be in favor of the abolition of war. Of my dispos\[i\]tion to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/you-have-not-been-mistaken-in-supposing-my-views-and-feeling-to-be-in/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [On this International Day for the Abolition of Slavery let us reaffirm the inherent dignity of all men, women and children. 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I seek the social ownership of property, the abolition of the propertied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-nash-baldwin/i-am-for-socialism-disarmament-and-ultimately-for-abolishing-the/) [Roger Nash Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-nash-baldwin/) [Browse all 229 Abolition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abolition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Many Southern Plantation owners were working towards the day when they could convert their investment to more profitable industrial production as had been done in the North, and others felt that freemen who were paid wages would be more efficient than slaves who had no incentive to work. For the present, however, they were stuck with the system they inherited. 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