In the early chapters of the book, Smallwood sets the stage for an Africa mingling with the early attempts by Europe to colonize and establish trade with the arrival of the Portuguese, and the establishment of the idea of commodifying people, which Smallwood establishes a central premise of the book. Smallwood argues that the commodification of the people of Africa, particularly those on the Gold Coast had severe negative consequences, with Smallwood stating, “Commodification removed captives from that landscape of abundance and put them into a situation of unmitigated poverty” (43). Smallwood uses this idea of commodification to outline her next few chapters in which she illustrates how the overall process of amassing “cargo” for the voyages relied more on the ship's capacity, rather than the well-being of those being taken aboard (68). Most importantly, Smallwood illustrates how this process of commodifying people created the biggest factor throughout the slave trade, the mental destruction and dismantling of hope for those whose new lives will be across the
In the early chapters of the book, Smallwood sets the stage for an Africa mingling with the early attempts by Europe to colonize and establish trade with the arrival of the Portuguese, and the establishment of the idea of commodifying people, which Smallwood establishes a central premise of the book. Smallwood argues that the commodification of the people of Africa, particularly those on the Gold Coast had severe negative consequences, with Smallwood stating, “Commodification removed captives from that landscape of abundance and put them into a situation of unmitigated poverty” (43). Smallwood uses this idea of commodification to outline her next few chapters in which she illustrates how the overall process of amassing “cargo” for the voyages relied more on the ship's capacity, rather than the well-being of those being taken aboard (68). Most importantly, Smallwood illustrates how this process of commodifying people created the biggest factor throughout the slave trade, the mental destruction and dismantling of hope for those whose new lives will be across the