Thomas Jefferson who drafted the famous American Declaration of Independence which contains the oft-quoted phrase that “all men are created equal” owned about 200 slaves when he wrote that and never set them free even upon his death . It doesn’t mean Jefferson was a fraud or even a hypocrite. Rather it points to certain bizarre truths about social systems and the beliefs which create them. The Americans during Jefferson’s time did not even consider Negroes as human beings. Negroes were subhuman, according to the beliefs that upheld the American social system of the time. All social systems are built upon certain beliefs most of which may not stand up to rational analysis. The ancient Indian caste system or many other social practices such as Sati were not based on any objective truths. Social systems are created by certain individuals in order to protect their interests by subordinating the interests of others. It was not mere selfishness either. More than selfishne
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