Slavery is a civil relationship that allows the mighty and powerful people in society to have absolute powers over the less privileged, thus controlling their life, fortune and liberty. Slave trade was practiced in the United States in 17th century, having been fostered by European settlers who aimed at attaining cheap labor. The concept of slavery was abolished in the 19th century. However, slavery is still being practiced in contemporary society.
The United Nations Department of Public Information affirmed that slavery is still practiced directly and indirectly in many parts of the world. Modern slavery exists in various forms, which include forced labor, debt bondage, descent based slavery, forced as well as early marriage, child slavery, political dictatorship and human trafficking (Behnke 43). In this case, modern slavery is practiced in almost every part of the contemporary world society. Modern slavery is a product of the current world economic crisis as the rich tend to oppress the poor with the aim of extending the magnitude of their wealth by making profits.
Modern slavery is also inspired by cultural practices. For instance, forced and early marriages are practiced by various African communities (Davidson O’Connell 166). Initially, slave marriages did not have a legal basis as owners encouraged this practice in order to get more subjects. This case is similar in modern slavery as young girls are traded into early marriages for the purpose of wealth. Many communities in Africa and Asia practice early marriages for dowry purposes (165). In these communities, the female child is given minimal right as compared to her male counterpart. A recent analysis carried out by the Aljazeera magazine in Pakistan perpetuates that girls who are sold into marriage slavery at a tender age are vulnerable to domestic violence and sexual abuse (Aljazeera 2). This notion suggests that modern slavery can be described as an advanced form of the ancient slavery culture.
