1776: Adam Smith argued in The Wealth of Nations that the labor performed by enslaved people was ultimately the most expensive form of work, despite only app…

1776: Adam Smith argued in The Wealth of Nations that the labor performed by enslaved people was ultimately the most expensive form of work, despite only appearing to cost the price of maintenance. He posited that individuals who cannot acquire property have no interest but to labor as little as possible. Smith believed that any work performed by a slave beyond what was necessary for their own survival had to be squeezed out of them through violence. This influential economic critique of slavery focused on the inherent inefficiency and lack of motivation within coerced labor systems.