(1970) - Soledad Brother: Prison Letters - George Jackson
George Jackson in this letter, grapples with the systemic oppression of Black people under capitalism, imperialism, and the prison-industrial complex. He critiques the capitalist system as a modern form of slavery, highlighting how economic and social structures subjugate Black individuals, maintaining their exploitation through dependence rather than direct chattel slavery. Jackson challenges both the roles of leadership within Black communities, criticizing those who uphold the status quo, and the institutions of power, such as the police. His stance calls for radical change, emphasizing international solidarity and a collective struggle for self-determination.
Neoslavery is an economic condition, a small knot of men exercising the property rights of their established economic order, organizing and controlling the lifestyle of the slave as if he were in fact property. Succinctly: an economic condition which manifests itself in the total loss or absence of self-determination.