Slavery in the Americas

In this first detailed comparison of the workings and effects of slavery in two New World colonies, Herbert Klein dramatically confirms formerly untested theories about institutional differences in Latin American and North American slavery. He explains in large measure why blacks have achieved greater social integration and occupational mobility in Latin America than they have in the North. Similar in their racial proportions and in their plantation agriculture, Cuba and Virginia make excellent comparative models. Mr. Klein’s pathbreaking analysis considers legal structures, religion, economic development, and the position of freedmen. His conclusions provide essential background for understanding some of the complexities of contemporary race relations.