The Economics of Slavery article1
Thinking the Unthinkable: Can slavery work in a modern society?
A review of a “A modest proposal for the new millennium”, by Rodney Allen and Ian Hunt
Let me start off by saying that in no way do I agree with the ideas suggested in the article I am reviewing, I am merely writing about this as a though exercise for whoever reads this and to bring to all attention that slavery was a very good for economic growth in the past and there are still people out there who think it would be a economically productive in the future.
“Slavery would work, and so would the slaves”
In the article, “A modest proposal for the new millennium”, the authors begin by describing problems that are often seen within western civilization. These problems are high unemployment, high economic inequality, insecurity and social exclusion. The author says that in Britain 40 percent of the work force works full time, 30 percent work part time, and 30 percent are not working at all. These stats point on 30 percent of the labor force have insecure jobs, and 30 percent have no jobs, which leads to their social exclusion, thus making them feel like outcasts. The author goes onto say that the welfare state of western civilizations is not profound enough to support all of these people adequately and it is not economically efficient to do so, therefore social funding should be cut. But what then will the unemployed impoverished people do?
So this is where Allan and Hunt think they are coming to the rescue. They propose to reinforce SLAVERY! It would be voluntary slavery of course but once people signed away their freedom they would undoubtedly be slaves/property. The authors say this would be a fair option for the impoverished people who can’t find securely paid employment. They would be unpaid labor, but their wealthy owners would supply food, shelter, clothes and medical care for them and this would appeal the slaves because these are things that they were unable to provide for themselves and their families. However, once a slave you are now property and and runaway slaves would be returned by state forces, as if they were runaway prisoners and non-obedient slaves would be disciplines the same.
The authors propose many benefits of this new voluntary slavery. It would solve long term unemployment and the socially excluded underclass would be working and feel worth because they were working and being productive. The author says, “that voluntary slavery would not in many instances be radically dissimilar to the sort of life endured by housewives in the first half of the twentieth century, before the upsurge of feminism”. The slaves would be doing mostly “cleaning, cooking, gardening, serving, fetching, and carrying”, the author says doing this work would bring self fulfillment to the workers who were previously idle.
Furthermore, the authors say that voluntary slavery would help diminish the demands placed on the public welfare system, and would help our economy. In the past the main barrier to full employment was the high prices of wage laborers, but with essentially free labor more people could be employed. This would in fact decrease crime aswell because ‘generally’ it is impoverished people who commit crimes, and if these people are working they are less lkely to do so and will be kept in line by their owners. In many instances these slaves would be exposed to a better lifestyle then they ever dreamed of because of slavery they will eat fancy meals and travel to fancy places, and in some cases perhaps be accepted as part of the family. Slavery will resemble Roman and Greek times much more than the slavery seen in the U.S pre civil war. The authors also say that since the slaves are property the owners can sell their slaves organs and lease them to medical research, in order to increase medical knowledge and find cures for cancers and other illnesses.
These are some very controversial ideas proposed by the authors which can be interpreted many ways. I hope that in reading this, you are urged to read the article by Allen and Hunt and voice your opinion, Can slavery work ina modern society?
http://workers.labor.net.au/26/a_guestreporter_modest.html
Portrait of Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass
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6 comments:
Could you propose a better reform for modern slavery than the ideas proposed by Allen and Hunt, what would it be?
From the Oxford English Dictionary:
"satire"
I. 1. A poem, or in modern use sometimes a prose composition, in which prevailing vices or follies are held up to ridicule. Sometimes, less correctly, applied to a composition in verse or prose intended to ridicule a particular person or class of persons, a lampoon.
2. a. The species of literature constituted by satires; satirical composition.
b. The employment, in speaking or writing, of sarcasm, irony, ridicule, etc. in exposing, denouncing, deriding, or ridiculing vice, folly, indecorum, abuses, or evils of any kind.
The article that you sighted is HILARIOUS to me! How dare anyone propose that slavery would be beneficial for the economy. A persons well being would not be any better than if they were free and starving. To be a slave and starving is even worse! I do not believe that the authors are realizing the long term outcomes of their proposed slavery idea. Many impoverished people are people of color...would not this idea of modern slavery encourage racism and perpetuate the cycle of poverty? I cannot believe that anyone would ever agree to this plan! I definitely agree with the SATIRE definition in relation to this awful idea of MODERN SLAVERY...HA!
This is a great question to pose. Of course slavery is worng we all know that. In reading this i actually went back and forth on the subject. I mean wouldnt it be great if we could clean up our streets and take all the homeless and misfortunate people and put them into a situation where they will be given food, proper cloths and shelter. This would not be pointed towards black people only but many other races. There are many people wiith different races that are homeless. So, In doing this we would be teaching that a new trade and giving then a chance to do somehting with there lives. We wouldnt be forcing then to become slaves just giving then a choice. I mean what else can they do?
Knowing that this could never work and that it is totally wrong i statred to think of why not?
1. This would subside the use of other worling peoples jobs. Now that a man has a slave to do every thing for him the other plummers, gardeners, and home makers are not longer needed.
2. This would really only be for personal gain. There really would be not economic growth to the ecomomy.
3. They are homeless for a reason. Taking then aways from there enviroment and placing then into a situation where they have fail already will not do any good. Force would then be used to get them to do the tasks and we all know the story from there.
In the long term this could never work.
I really liked this post.
JEnnis, i believe that a system such as this would increase economic growth, the voluntary slavery movement would increase production in society. We are already facing outsourcing concerns in our economy that is forcing our youth to go to college and in addition graduate schools more then ever so that they can complete jobs that that cannot be completed cheaper over seas.
The money generated by this voluntary slavery will go right back into our economy and the growth will be seen in our neighborhoods, and in cutbacks in government spending.
This being said chattel slavery is wrong for what it is slavery, but i bring this question for the purpose of asking can it work or is this a step back in history to feudal europe of roman times when societies like this existed?
C valdivia, in this knew system of slavery the slaves would not be starving, they would be well fed and well clothed, they would also have health benefits forthemselves and their families
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