--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a time when slavery was good…" description: "\"“There was a time when slavery was good. It did its work, and when it finished creating capital it withered and died a natural death. Colonialism was g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/ngugi-wa-thiong-o-15984_cold-war_there-was-a-time-when-slavery-was-good-i_882271.png" --- # There was a time when slavery was good. It did its work… ![“There was a time when slavery was good. It did its work, and when it finished creating capital it withered and died a natural death. Colonialism was good. It spread industrial culture of shared resources and markets. But to revive colonialism now would be an error. There was a time when the cold…” quote by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/ngugi-wa-thiong-o-15984_cold-war_there-was-a-time-when-slavery-was-good-i_882271.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/ngugi-wa-thiong-o-15984_cold-war_there-was-a-time-when-slavery-was-good-i_882271.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/ngugi-wa-thiong-o-15984_cold-war_there-was-a-time-when-slavery-was-good-i_882271.png) > ““There was a time when slavery was good. It did its work, and when it finished creating capital it withered and died a natural death. Colonialism was good. It spread industrial culture of shared resources and markets. But to revive colonialism now would be an error. There was a time when the cold war dicated our every calculation in domestic and international relations. It is over. We are in the post-cold war era, and our calculations are affected by the laws and needs of globalization. The history of capital can be summed up in one phrase: in search of freedom. Freedom to expand, and now it has the chance at the entire globe for its theater. It needs a democratic space to move as its own logic demands.”” [Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ngugi-wa-thiong-o/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage argues that past oppressive systems once served economic purposes, but reviving them now would be misguided; true freedom requires democratic, global cooperation. **In simple terms:** Old systems once worked but now must be replaced by democratic global freedom. Key Takeaway Promote democratic, inclusive global structures. Themes history economics politics freedom Mood critical analytical Type essay philosophical When to use this quote - policy analysis - academic debate - international relations - economic planning Key Concepts colonialism capitalism globalization democratic theory Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure freedom without repeating past oppressions? - What democratic mechanisms best support global equity? 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