Could slavery be good for society?

Question

Suppose slavery replaced human sacrifice in a society. Would slavery then be a net positive for that society? If your answer is no, then please explain why not.

Answer 1

it depends. it could be really good for the slaves like what happened to the africans in those slave ships. they might have suffered so many atrocities from the hands of their owners but now their great great grand sons are reaping the benefits of the land of milk and honey.

Answer 2

For our society, no. Slavery in essence is about control. It is demoralizing and restrictive. For a democracy (the fundamental basis of our society) to work one must be free to make up their own mind and then have the freedom to act on it. Slavery would eliminate this possibility.

For a monarchy I'm sure slavery would be ideal. It would put the head of the society in complete control with virtually no chance of defiance.

But all in all slavery really seems to be taking a step backward. As a "world society", we need individuals to feel independent and secure in their state of mind. Because through this we are able to move further along towards our supposed goal of a peaceful world. Slavery at its root is about violence and fear. People living in fear have little hope for change. And we all know that change is needed.

Answer 3

Historically slavery started as a "Contract" in an economic barter system. Some men would leave home and fall in love and offer a term (1 year, 3 years, or 5 years was most common) of slavery to marry another man's daughter. This served in three parts: grooming man to take over family assets, getting to know the family, and courting the daughter under supervision. Should the man prefer to return to their homeland, the wives family would pay cash/goods to help the new family start for the labor performed by the man. Some women also did the reverse but the Bible records more men willingly enslaving themselves in exchange for land and marriage.

As the economy evolved and created currency slavery was still needed to handle "Future payments" or large debts. So, many formed verbal contracts instead of apply for a loan at a bank.

Then we come to slavery to repay crimes. Capital punishment (cross, hangings, etc), hand-for-hand/ eye-for-eye, and the guillotines were certainly negative ways to keep people from steeling. However, these didn't repay the person who the crime was committed against. In some cases, the victim spared the criminal such drastic punishment and took them on as a slave for a set time; bargained between the two parties. Imagine the Enron dudes having to perform labor for their employees (I'd like to see that)

Slavery became abused in the 1600's when people kidnapped people, accused them of crimes they didn't understand, and enslaved them. To make matters worse, the "Contract" time period was erased. This made slavery perpetual.

Certainly, Abraham Lincoln was a wise man to see the de-evolution of slavery and how our country was abusing this form of labor. Legally, we were steeling labor; morally, the slave trades falsely were accusing people of crimes to get the free labor. I think these crimes have blinded us from how useful slavery was in creating civilization.

It's sad that slave trade in Africa still exists (without terms, & based off crimes). I think I the "Official" end to slavery was announced by Saudi Arabia in the 1970's ... but it is still suspected that the refugee's from Darfur are being accused of crimes and enslaved for labor. However, mortgages, and other long term debt replaces slavery in today's economy.

In many ways, we enslave ourselves when we take on too much debt. This occurs individually, and nationally. "Will work for visa" --- God I hope NOT!!!

Answer 4

Well that's a cute little piece of sophistry there. Of course slavery is not good. But you put the question in a way most people would tend to say it is a good thing - compared to death, I supposed the state of a slave is enviable. But that doesn't make it right to keep that person as a slave. That's like the slave-owners defending themselves by saying: "Our grandfathers used to kill them. We don't do that anymore. Our slaves should be thankful." - In any case, it's still a blatant case of human right abuse.
Furthermore, some people would argue they would rather die as men, trying to regain their freedom, than live the meaningless lives of slaves, as somebody else's instrument.

Answer 5

Slavery isn't good, it has been proven so over and over again.

Someone does not enter into slavery willingly, and the act of taking away someone's free-will only harms them and the rest of the society.

Having a free society is the only way it works. One where people are free to make their own choices, their own mistakes, and their own successes.

Answer 6

It depends who you'd be using for slaves really,
If you were to pick a select 'race' of human's then, bad idea, too many problems.
Robots of some kind? maybe, but what about any risks?

now if you were on about Prisioners, you know criminals, then good idea, but the big problem would be how to control them so that they are not a threat. Some may see this as cruel, but it would help with the prison overcrowding and give people more of an incentive not to break the law for fear of the punishment.

Answer 7

Both represent societal evils.

Anytime, anyone is being harmed, abused, abased or disrespected at all, it represents a negative attitude or bad behaviour or just plain evil.

Neither is a considered "positive" - net or otherwise because "man" is not meant to be treated inhumanely in any sense. Though it appears acceptable to some, it is wrong.

Answer 8

There are some fates that are worse than death. It might be better to have died quickly than to live in misery and servitude, reduced to a mere commodity and an extension of another's ego-driven will.

Answer 9

not at all,everyone shud do their own work no one shud b a slave 2 any1,all are humans

Answer 10

Every "civilization" that has ever existed has been built on someone else's back!!!
Ultimately it depends on what you mean by "good."