Slave Society

A slave society exists due to the differences in caste, religion, gender, and many other reasons. In the slavery system, some individuals can use wealth and power to make others their slaves. 

Previously, society was divided into two groups. Those are:

• Dominance-These individuals dominate over others
• Submissive-These individually forcefully followed upper-class individuals due to a lack of authority and self-awareness

The upper-class people treat the enslaved people as outsiders and subject them to abuse and other heinous acts. Overall, you can say they were treated as minors. This article will let you know more about the slave society.

Slave Society and Culture

The lifestyles enslaved people faced were based on the size of the land or field where they worked. The masters of the enslaved people distribute the labour, and themselves enjoy the outcomes by providing less to such individuals. In slave society, people working on farms with their landlords, their families used to be in a better position. However, plantation enslaved people below a supervisor were not treated the same, especially their well-being. Household enslaved people, carpenters, drivers, etc., fared better than field workers. Thus, the owners used to decide the future of the enslaved people. The use of physical punishment and the awarding of benefits, such as permitting a trip to a neighbouring plantation, were entirely up to him.

Slaves were divided into two groups. One group had around twenty-five people under the supervision of a chauffeur and supervisor. And the other squad has people who were assigned a daily chore. If the appointed duty was not finished or done terribly or tools were lost or broken, the overseer or driver would impose punishment. The most common type of punishment was flogging, although other types of punishment include extra labor and a decrease in food supplies.Extra meals, a ticket to meet friends or relatives on another farm, or the opportunity of maintaining a vegetable garden were all given for consistently exemplary performance.

Slave Religion

Slaves formed their distinct religion from the masters, typically a mix of evangelical Christianity plus West African traditions and customs. The slave society secretly conducts their prayers, music, and speeches in their quarters or neighbouring forests. Enslaved people looked to sing “Negro spiritual.” all the time to southern whites. The advocates of slavery claimed that this song demonstrated slaves were comfortable and happy with their position. 

Kinds of slavery

1. Chattel Slavery: This is the oldest sort of slave in society, in which people were forced to become their superior’s possessions. Today, this practice is illegal, and no government believes it to be acceptable in any nation.
2. Bonded Labour: This was a type of labour that was only for a short period and not for the rest of one’s life. For instance, if a borrower defaults on a loan, the borrower repays the money by working for some time.
3. Forced Labour: People are compelled to labour for somebody because of their power or terror over others.
4. Forced Marriages: Individuals were forced to marry for various reasons, including sexual attraction or to help with household chores.
5. Dependents: This was a frequent term for slave society; however, people noted their situation was fairer than Freemen in Persia.

Slave Society in Ancient Greece

In Ancient Greece, slaves were a central unit of society. Or, to put it another way, the labour they were forced to do activities, responsibilities, and jobs that most Greeks despised.During the 5th to 4th century BC, Athens itself was home to approximately 60,000–80,000 slaves, with every household containing an estimate of 3 or 4 captives. Enslaved people in Athens had more autonomy than those in other cities. A common Athenian slave was greeted into his master’s residence with ritual and was given nuts and fruits, much like a new bride could be.Many enslaved persons were foreigners abducted during battles; the sons of vanquished opponents were also often forced into slavery, supplying the guests of male brothels. Alternatively, enslaved persons may have been born into slavery and consigned to a life of relative confinement due to inheriting the family’s ‘trade.’ The agriculture industry was the most popular service for captives in the slave society in Ancient Greece. At the same time, many were also assigned to quarries and factories. 

Domestic enslaved people’s lives were undoubtedly less physically taxing; some would join their owners on their trips, possibly becoming unofficial confidantes. Enslaved persons could work as craftsmen, merchants, or bankers, among other professions.While most enslaved persons stayed in service until death, an owner might free them through a procedure known as annexation or enfranchisement. In all but the most merciful situations, a slave had to buy their way out of slavery by paying their owner a price that at least equalled their value if they were transferred to a new ruler. 

If the enslaved person had enough funds to do so, their liberation would almost certainly be complete, meaning the upper-class people would never enslave them ever.In the alternative cases in the slave to society in Ancient Greece, they may ask their master for a so-called ‘friendly’ loan.In these situations, individuals were likely to have to continue to fulfil specific duties to their old master till they recovered the debt.

Conclusion

The slave population as a whole was not in good health. There was a high infant death rate in the slave society due to severe physical labour, harsh discipline, and terrible housing conditions.Slavery was the most extreme inequality between human beings, making labour practices intolerable. It was abolished in 1838, and several sociologists worked to influence people’s minds. They encouraged them to embrace an egalitarian society and thereby eradicate stratification.Through the hard work of sociologists, the slaves are nowhere to be found and have got full rights and freedom.