Why was American slavery so much worse than other forms of slavery throughout history?
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some ancient and medieval slaves could even achieve positions of power in their own right. e.g., janissaries became an influential social class: there are even stories of bosnian muslims wanting their own (muslim!) children to become janissaries to improve their lot in life
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Probably modern capitalism, along with (pseudo)scientific arguments put it harder to have something similar. Also, paradoxically, HR principles may have stopped it: inexistence of a caste ladder makes impossible for you - subhuman slave - to reach the sacred pedestal of HR.
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You're making a very Christian argument right now. The Bible specifcally gave permission to beat people as long as they didn't die in a day or two.
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Depends on where and when you're talking. Slavery in the classical world was much worse in many ways. Slaves in the the US were an expensive commodity and tended to be treated as such. In the classical world, slaves generally lived short, brutal lives.
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For example, some were galley slaves. They rowed the ships all day, sitting in waist high water filled with their own feces and piss as they were whipped mercilessly. Others were forced to work in mines, and had extremely short life spans filled with brutal work.
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Yeah, I guess that stuff wasn't unheard of, and by comparison, American slavery would be worse, of course. Also, I see your clarification, so I get the question a little better.
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Ancient Roman slaves didn't have any rights for some 300 years. You were allowed to kill them for fun. They were seen as property, no more human than a wooden spoon
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And the Spartans hunted peasants/slaves for fun & military education. :/
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It was more variable. Some ancient slaves - in particular, field hands with inconsiderate masters - had it just as bad or even worse than the typical 19th century American slave. Others had comparatively easy lives, e.g. teachers.
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More slaves from Africa went to Muslim countries than to the New World. Why don’t we hear of large black communities in the Arab Middle East or Persia?Anyone know why?
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