What was George Fitzhugh's view on slavery?

George Fitzhugh was a prominent pro-slavery advocate in the 19th century, and he believed that slavery was a positive social institution. He argued that, contrary to the common narrative of exploitation, slaves were often better cared for than free workers in the North. Fitzhugh claimed that enslaved individuals received food, shelter, and protection, which he viewed as a form of compensation, as they were taken care of for life by their owners.

His writings promoted the idea that slavery was a necessary and benevolent system that contributed to social order and economic stability. He contrasted his views with the conditions of free laborers, whom he saw as vulnerable to market fluctuations and without the same security that enslaved individuals supposedly had within the plantation system.

These beliefs fit within the wider context of pro-slavery ideology at the time, which often sought to justify the institution of slavery by emphasizing the supposed welfare and protection slaves received compared to free laborers.