Modern Slavery in Thailand and Mauritania

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Modern slaves
Characteristics of the modern economy
The modern economy and past trends
Examples of countries practicing slavery
Differences between the two forms of slavery
Works Cited

Introduction

Kevin Bales describes modern slavery as, “adapting an old practice to the new global economy” (11). He uses this statement to refer to the methods through which modern slaveholders disguise their activities. According to Bales, modern slaveholders take advantage of vulnerable groups of people in their hunt for slaves. They do not consider color, religion, or ethnicity while taking people into slavery (10).

Modern slaves

Modern slavery is the absolute control over another person’s rights without necessarily having the legal rights to own that person. Bales argues that this form of slavery arose from the realization that full ownership of slaves exposes slaveholders to unnecessary maintenance costs. Therefore, slave merchants decided to adopt short-term ownership of the slaves. Short-term ownership entails selecting the most productive age groups among the vulnerable groups. Slaveholders only use the people they select when they are still energetic enough to perform their duties. They get rid of them as soon as they show signs of aging.

Modern slave owners also avoid legal involvement regarding slave ownership. However, some of them take advantage of legal contracts to hide their cruel intentions. They sign the contracts to make the slaves believe that their masters will treat them well. The contracts contain lucrative terms that easily lure the slaves into accepting their offer. They also use the contracts to hide from the authorities.

In modern slavery, ethnicity is not important. Slaveholders do not consider the color, tribe, nationality, or religion of their slaves. They only take advantage of their vulnerability. They usually take advantage of the groups they can easily take into slavery through coercion or enticement (Bales 8).

Characteristics of the modern economy

The modern global economy prioritizes cost reduction and profit maximization. Countries and businesspersons apply the principle of “the end justifies the means” in all their undertakings. Slaveholders avoid holding slaves for long periods to reduce their maintenance costs (Bales 19). They also avoid taking slaves from places that are far from where they live to reduce the cost of transporting them. Some governments do not ask slaveholders and other illegal traders to stop carrying out their activities. Instead, they ask them to pay taxes. They only have problems with them when they do not pay taxes (Bales 24).

The modern economy and past trends

Most of the tenets of the modern economy originated from historical occurrences. Many governments adopted their operations from past activities. Modern slave traders altered their manner of operation after realizing that slave traders in the 1800s did not make enough profits from their activities (Bales 18). Therefore, they decided to change by taking slaves for short periods, unlike the old system, where slaves and their families stayed with their masters for all their life. This decision aimed at reducing the cost of production and maximizing profits.

The collision between civilization and old cultures also contributed to the rise of modern slavery (Bales 9). Rich people and governments in the contemporary world often clash with native communities when they want to seize their property for various development plans. Such struggles always favor the civilized group since they have better weapons compared to their enemies. Therefore, natives end up as slaves.

Bales points out the historical status of people in their community as a long-term cause of modern slavery (8). He argues that some people inherit slavery from their parents. According to him, rich merchants took many people into permanent slavery in the 19^th century. The slaves got their children while in slavery, and the children grew up as slaves. Such families will never come out of slavery.

Examples of countries practicing slavery

Sex Slavery In Thailand

The commonest form of slavery in Thailand is sex slavery. Many families usually sell their daughters to brothels that use them as sex slaves. Their culture supports the selling of women, as they do not consider them important in society. Most of the time, parents sell their daughters to help improve their financial status. According to Bales, most of them sell their daughters with the purpose of buying television sets. In this business, the girls have no control over their lives. Their masters make all the decisions (Bales 35).

Historical Slavery in Mauritania

Most of the black Mauritanians inherited slavery from their parents. The parents were slaves; therefore, their children could not avoid slavery. They still work for their parents’ masters. Many of their masters take advantage of the teachings of the Kuran to continue holding slaves. On the other hand, the slaves do not ask for payment because they fear to go against the teachings of the Kuran (Bales 80).

Similarities between slavery in the two countries

They both take advantage of people’s weaknesses. The parents in Thailand take advantage of their daughters’ ignorance to sell them. In Mauritania, masters take advantage of their servants’ ignorance of the freeing of the slaves in 1980.
The cultures in both countries support the two forms of slavery. In the native Thai culture, women are property that men use to create more wealth while, in Mauritania, the Islamic culture supports the capture of slaves in jihads.

Differences between the two forms of slavery

In Thailand, the brothels get rid of the sex slaves when they get an old while, in Mauritania, the slaves are part of their masters’ families.
In Thailand, parents sell their daughters into slavery while, in Mauritania, children inherit slaves from their parents.

Works Cited

Bales, Kevin. Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy. Berkeley, Calif: University of California Press, 2012. Print.

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