HREQ 2010 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Debt Bondage

• School: York University
• Department: Human Rights and Equity Studies
• Course: HREQ 2010
• Professor: Neil Braganza

Document Summary

Slaves were considered not fully human, therefore, they are not entitled to human rights: this leads to racial discrimination. The real problem with slavery is the economics and capitalism of individuals. The modern form of slavery is unique. Debt bondage: pertinent to peasants and farmers: many farmers couldn"t sell their produce; therefore, they were left in debt. Due to the sizeable debt that has been accumulated, the only way to pay it off was to enter slavery: not unusual for the state to use your body as a type of property. Child abandonment: slaves who couldn"t provide for their children were given to the the affluent (usually left on their doorsteps: these children then became the ownership of the affluent and they grew up to be their slaves. Large scale plantation can accommodate several saves, therefore, they become plantation economists. Native tribes mostly died due to diseases. Therefore, they had to look elsewhere for more.