The term paternalism as applied to the system of plantation authority in the antebellum South means that

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Paternalism in the context of plantation authority refers to the belief held by slaveholders that they were caring for and protecting their slaves, whom they regarded as childlike inferiors. This justification of slavery was used to rationalize the cruel treatment of slaves and to maintain the institution of slavery. While some slaveholders may have had familial relationships with their slaves, this was not a universal experience for all slaves and did not negate the overarching system of oppression and exploitation.

The Term Paternalism as Applied to the System of Plantation