A lot of people hold the misconception that slavery is simply a system of working without pay. In some times and in some places, possibly that is true. But that

A lot of people hold the misconception that slavery is simply a system of working without pay. In some times and in some places, possibly that is true. But that's not how it worked in America. We're pretty far from slavery in America now. There are so many obvious differences, but let's start with the foundation. A slave is not a person and therefore has no more legal rights than my armchair or my goldfish. A slave is personal property, livestock. Being able to enter (and breach) contracts is something people can freely choose to do. The holder of an LEC would have obligations and limits specified in advance. Beatings: illegal. Room and board must meet certain standards. Any deviation and the LEC laborer can sue for breach. Slaves are livestock and can be treated in the manner of the worst factory farms, subject to the owner's whims. The slaveowner cannot breach a contract with livestock. The very idea is absurd. > you can always work extra hours and buy your contract back, right? Say what? No, slaves can't buy anything. Livestock doesn't get to possess anything. > But how different is the life of my hypothetical contractual slave from the life of the average low wage worker today? Let's go back to the livestock example. The offspring of livestock are livestock, and under law are also owned by the owner of the parent stock. There is no analogue to this in the world of people with any rights under the law. People can have hopes and dreams for their children; human livestock knows their offspring will suffer as they have, if they are even allowed to meet them before they are sold. We're pretty far from slavery. (Yes, there are real slaves even now, but it looks like the OP is referring to poor people and not actual modern slaves.)