Slavery is a state where one person or a group of people are controlled by another person or group. A slave has no rights over his/her body, mind, or life. Slavery severely impacts a person’s mentality, stripping him/her of self-respect and the ability to enjoy life. For many, death becomes a way of liberation from the torment of slavery. It is one of the most inhumane conditions that can befall on an individual.

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At first glance, slavery appears to be a manmade construct. However, as part of nature, humans often mimic patterns that already exist in the natural world. For example, certain ant species enslave other ants, forcing them to work for the benefit of their colony. Similarly, parasitic plants, animals, and microorganisms exploit their hosts, enslaving them to serve their needs. Humans, being a part of this natural system, have demonstrated similar behaviors in their own societies.

The origins of human slavery can be traced back to the dawn of agriculture and animal domestication. As humans began rearing animals and cultivating crops, they also started enslaving fellow humans so that they might be used as laborers. Slaves were used mercilessly in agricultural fields, mines, households, and even for seeking entertainment. Over centuries, slavery evolved into a structured institution that supported economic systems across various civilizations. Female slaves were not only used for such performing such tasks, but also used as sex slaves and means of getting free slaves when they become mothers. This is the cruelest thing that may happen with a female slave.

In the modern era, slavery has been formally abolished in most parts of the world. However, its essence persists in different forms. While the overt ownership of individuals has largely disappeared, covert forms of exploitation remained widespread. The primary objective remains the same—using fellow humans for economic gain and/or use them for sexual pleasure. For instance, we may see what is happening in industries. We may see that the traditional employment can be viewed as a form of hidden slavery. A worker’s time is not his/her own, as he/she is bound to serve his/her employers. Employers, in turn, use this labor to generate wealth, giving workers only a small fraction of the profits. This dynamic allows the rich to become richer while allowing the gap between the wealthy and the poor to widen.

Recent discussions coming out in news have exposed the whole system. For example, several Indian business owners and CEOs have publicly advocated for workweeks of 80-90 hours without weekly leave. Such demands reveal an exploitative mindset of the rich, aiming to extract maximum output from employees with little regard for their well-being. This modern form of exploitation reflects the same principles as historical slavery, albeit in a different guise.

Although labor laws seems strong on papers, their implementation often falls short. In many industries, workers are forced to endure harsh conditions and work for excessive hours without the ability to voice complaints. The lack of enforcement enables a modern form of slavery to persist under the guise of employment. This is too bad in unorganized sectors.

This is the grim reality of today’s world. While humanity has made significant progress in various domains, the exploitation of labor is still a glaring issue that echoes the darker chapters of our history. True liberation will only be achieved when every individual has the right to their time, effort, and dignity without fear of exploitation. I afraid this situation is not going to end soon. In fact, when Artificial Intelligence become more powerful and there will be abundance of unemployed laborers, such exploitation will become a normal thing in the futuristic world.

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