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Comment by lsb | Hacker News Reader

He asks for almost $12000, in a lump sum, with interest added, in 1865 dollars, which is roughly $200k in 2013 dollars.

As a lump sum.

In recompense for 32 years of chattel slavery, any dollar amount would be a laughable pittance.

Actually, 52 years since he is including 20 years for his wife as well. Comes out to $3846/person/yr in today's dollars if the above calculation is correct, which is considerably lower than what I'd sell myself into slavery for.

But, and this is where it gets really messed up - $4k/person/year is significantly more than current global median income. Last I checked (around 2007), this is about $850/year. (Yeah, if you're reading this website, you are insanely lucky).

Of course, this doesn't take into account things like income disparity between countries and so on - that is, median income in Bangladesh is very different than the US today, but this was Antebellum south, at a time when America was still a developing country.

All this to say - maybe $4k/year was a "fair price."

I'm from a developing third-world country. $4k/year is our minimum wage. It's hardly a fair price for 32 years of service.

If someone offered to pay you $200,000 now, but in return you have to be his slave for 32 years, would you do it?

So you would work for 520$/month? Wow.

I never said I would :)

It's meant to highlight how ridiculous the Colonel's own request was.

that reminds me my ex-boss tiring to hire me again and the of $4250, he cut back from our salaries, during dotcom bust. He promised to pay back when the time comes...

I wonder what it would come to with room and board subtracted. Considerably less I'm sure.

Since, as he mentions in the letter, room and board were included in the wage he uses as a reference, there is no need to deduct them from the wages his former master owes.

Oops, missed that point.

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