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One of the common ways to get out of poverty in the past was indentured servitude. People would voluntarily sell themselves into slavery because it was prefera

• ptaipale 11y ago
  Yes, although indentured servants were not quite the same as slaves (again, there was of course variance depending on time and place). For instance, did the fugitive slave acts of colonial America cover white fugitive indentured servants? I'd presume no, although some other laws existed to cover them (I'm by no means an expert but some reading makes me think this.) Racism must have been a significant factor in making the difference of slavery and servitude in the American colonies: actual slaves were of African descent, while indentured servants were European, and apprenticeship contracts covered young American-born people. When we talk about slavery in Europe today, in realistic terms it is actually more resembling the indentured servitude contracts of America (debt bondage and enforced servitude) but illegal (if authorities find out, they work actively to confiscate any proceeds of such contracts from those who benefit). E.g. sex workers who are deceived to take some form of a debt bondage. Where I see the word "slavery" used is however often about situations where employment officials assign some training or intern arrangements for people to get job-seekers allowance. It's hyperbolical, even if there might be something wrong with these arrangements.
  • collyw 11y ago
    You should have a read of Gaerber's "Debt - the first 5000 years". It talks a lot about the the origins of slavery in different cultures. It doesn't seem as black and white as you seem to imagine.