RE: Role of the Colonial Trade in the Industrialization of

Elson wrote:

 > Western Europe could have become the monster it did without new world 
> slaves, Indian-labor sugar, coffee, tobacco, gold, silver, cotton, and 
> labor of the industrial working class everywhere it existed?  Could such an 
> assertion, and "what if" statistics, stand up to the mounds of historical 
> evidence that it could not have?  I think not.  Perhaps that is why few 
> have bothered to respond to O'Brien on this list.
 
Elson, what mounds of historical evidence?? I rather based myself on the best 
*available evidence* than on rhetorical arguments like yours  devoid of any 
empirical content. I can assure you that no one here has responded to 
my arguments because I have already forwarded enough evidence 
which they know they cannot refute. It does not feel too good when 
your deeply held (emotional) beliefs are proven wrong. I know you 
would have felt better if people here had responded to me. But what 
can I say, it is not my fault if they have nothing to say, though 
they do complain when someone writes about biology; well, at least 
that generated some discussion in this otherwise moribund list.   

Still, just to round the discussion, I will post a few more comments 
on this issue, which are really just draft notes on paper I am 
writing. I must say that I do get, now and then, personal letters 
welcoming my posts, including those to the world history list.