This quote shows capitalism at work as it highlights the fact that slaves were treated as nothing more than commodities to be bought and sold for profit. Capitalism relies on the exploitation of labor and resources for profit, and in the case of slavery, human beings were reduced to nothing more than property. The brutal treatment of slaves was a direct result of the dehumanization inherent in the capitalist system, where profit is prioritized over basic human rights and dignity. The quote also highlights the role that racism and prejudice played in the enslavement and exploitation of African people, obnoxiously demonstrating how capitalism and institutionalized discrimination often perpetuated the dehumanization for the sake of greed.