Which of the following ideas strengthen the acceptance of slavery? a. racism - the belief that some races are superior to others b. the enlightenment--the belief that reason would solve mankind's problems c. capitalism--the belief that the market should determine who was rich and who was poor d. communism--the belief that history is the struggle between economic classes

A. Racism. The dehumanization of blacks was an extremely necessary aspect of slavery. The belief that they were inferior rationalized their bondage. The Enlightenment idea that reason would solve problems did not apply to slaves, as there was virtually no way to escape and it was heavily discouraged. Capitalism and communism apply to economies more than anything, and while capitalism was an important aspect to slavery, communism was not seen until Russia in 1919.