h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

With the recent revelations that slavery might be far more widespread within Britain's society than we had realised, where do we draw the line as to what is and what isn't defined as slavery? For example, the news tells us now that workers in nail bars are forced to work for years to pay their debt to their traffickers. This is technically an extreme form of wage-slavery, and suggests slavery might be thought of as a sliding scale of magnitude instead, although to even imagine this seems offensive to those suffering the least freedom.

I think it is called debt slavery. When one gets into debt one becomes a slave to those that own your debt. Legally one can declare oneself bankrupt or something. But for illegal aliens (immigrants?) I am not sure how easy it is to do without being put on the first flight out.

This is more like indentured servitude. To me, slavery would require some form of coercion. There are many who works terrible jobs for perhaps a dollar a day. That they don't quit usually doesn't mean that they can't, just that they have no other possible source of income. They are slaves to their biological needs rather than to a company.

Not that I want to defend slavery in any way, but actual slavery entails some responsibilities on the part of the slave owner. When a slave gets too old to work, he or she is usually cared for*. Wage slaves and debt slaves are not, unless their work is legal and they have qualified for pensions and medical care. That excludes illegal or undocumented immigrants, though.


*usually by other slaves, of course, but at least their need is factored into the arrangement.

er, how benign Pauth,

don't forget slaves, to be grateful and remember who you are indebted too for that 'liberty'

I was trying hard not to defend slavery. The world is better off without it. Do the modern wage slaves have any hope of not dying alone on the street?

We have people dying at sea, on their treks over land, being detained in camps at borders, sent back, trafficked, exploited, used, indebted and enslaved.

Today we recognise that the shackles are not are 'visible' as they once were in terms of historic remembrance, they are down to economics, war, psychological and emotional holds, no longer necessarily the physical restraints

Socially unacceptable it may be but the ability to look away, or to put it down to some tragedy of fate surprisingly easy

socially unacceptable *slavery* might be

and no it is not the same,

being chain ganged on to a boat

to having no choice but than trying and get on a boat all the risks that entails

it is different but

want to choose between them?

You're right, Peanut. I would not want to choose between them. Forget what I said, if you can.

They are certainly both unpleasant, I don't see that it follows they are then both slavery. The workers in Dubai might well be called slaves, but I don't see why everyone who works in a sweatshops should be.

Are wage slaves actually slaves?

Short answer, no. It sucks, sure, but there are some specific restrictions that constitute slavery. Did you know there are more slaves today than there were at the the height of the slave trade? (Not necessarily as a percentage of world population.)

For a better definition, see sites like the following: http://www.antislavery.org/english/slavery_today/what_is_modern_slavery.aspx

"According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) 20.9 million men, women and children around the world are in slavery. In the 21st century people are still sold like objects, forced to work for little or no pay and at the complete mercy of their 'employers'.
There are many different characteristics that distinguish slavery from other human rights violations, however only one needs to be present for slavery to exist. Someone is in slavery if they are:

forced to work - through mental or physical threat;

owned or controlled by an 'employer', usually through mental or physical abuse or the threat of abuse;

dehumanised, treated as a commodity or bought and sold as 'property';

physically constrained or has restrictions placed on his/her freedom of movement."

So, a wage slave, someone who just feels trapped in a dead end, low pay job but isn't actually being forced through threats or coercion isn't a slave.

Paulh

neither would I want to choose between them

BG

excellent answer to the OP