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What did the strange identification of the enslaved person with the enslaver signify?

User Umut Sirin
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Final answer:

Identification of enslaved with enslavers signified a complex psychological state influenced by institutionalized slavery and the manipulative justification known as paternalism. Slaves resisted dehumanization by developing their own cultures amidst denial of education, citizenship, and basic rights.

Step-by-step explanation:

The strange identification of the enslaved person with the enslaver signifies a complex psychological and societal phenomenon where the oppressed may come to adopt the viewpoints and even defend the status of their oppressors. This relationship illustrates the deeply ingrained nature of institutionalized slavery and the lasting psychological impact it had on those who were enslaved.

Despite the horrific conditions and the denial of basic rights, slaves found ways to resist and create their own culture, revealing the resilience and humanity of the oppressed. An analysis of paternalism within slavery shows how slaveholders justified the inhumane treatment of slaves while entirely misrepresenting the cruel reality.

Enslaved individuals were systematically denied education, healthcare, and citizenship, underpinning the power dynamics of the dominant group over the subordinate group. These factors contributed to intergroup relations that perpetuated the cycle of enslavement and domination.

User Dvid Silva
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