The Relationship Between Slavery and Contemporary Society, Essay Example

Slavery has traditionally been identified as a relationship between two or more individuals in which one enjoys a dominant and commanding role over the other. It has been an important component in many societies, as it has dictated the power structure of diverse groups of people. Individuals who owned slaves were considered to have status in society, which was often associated with monetary benefits. Despite this, an understanding of human rights has demonstrated that slavery is detrimental to the well-being of societies. Not only does slavery cause individuals to become dependent upon these cruel acts for economic purposes, slavery also causes trauma to those that are enslaved. Furthermore, the high standing of slave owners reflects in modern society today. It is evident that groups of people who were traditionally considered slaves continue to be mistreated today. Their status as “lesser” humans have prevented them from being able to rise up in society. This essay aims to identify the impacts of slavery in shaping contemporary society. The outcomes of slavery are exploiting as well as long lasting. The concepts of inferiority, discrimination based individuals attributes are the modified forms of slavery that have perfuse with the social values and norms and attenuating the contemporary societies of today, which allows the descendants of slaves to continue to suffer despite their perceived freedom. It appears that slavery is still present in the world today; it can be defined as social injustice in the developed world and the physical act of slavery in developing countries. It is important for everyone to recognize the existence of slavery and to act upon it so that social justice could be achieved.

Many individuals living today believe that slavery does not exist in developed countries. Governments across the world condemn the concept of slavery and instead promote liberty and justice for all people. Despite this, it is evident that all people are not treated as equals, even in the most effective democracies. While nations such as the United States were formed to serve social justice to its residents, individuals who entered the country as descendants of slaves continue to be treated as second class citizens. On the surface, the ethical values that all people are taught dictate that one should not treat another being differently because of the color of their skin. Despite the attempts that many people make, this mistreatment is evident. For example, black citizens have a more difficult time getting hired, are less likely to pursue higher education, and are more likely to live below the poverty level (O’Connell, 2012). Their standing in these categories have little to do with the color of their skin. Rather, these groups have never been able to rise above the standards that society has set for them. Since it is typically white men who hire workers and select students into university, even a small amount of discrimination forces minority groups to remain at the bottom of society. This demonstrates that while formal slavery is not present in the developed world, remnants of this slavery continue to persist in the world today. Slavery can be said to have disappeared once it appears that social justice can be rightly achieved.

Slavery has evolved as a consequence of the economic needs of a particular society (Patterson, 2002). In the South prior to the Civil War, slavery was the means by which landowners would be able to harvest their land and make a profit. Since there was a significant shortage of workers during this time period, the slave trade acted as an important way for these landowners to find a way to use their land to its maximum capacity (Thurston, 2011). As there was a greater need to staff these farms, the slave trade in the South expanded because slaves served as a cheap labor source, which allowed these landowners to gain a great amount of profit quickly. As such, people were traded like goods. Individuals who appeared to be able to do more and higher quality work would be sold for more money, while those who appeared weak were sold for less. The slave trade appeared to be stable because it was the traders and landowners who remained in power. However, as the North built cities and developed new technologies, it was soon apparent that human labor would become somewhat outdated. When there was no longer as significant a need for slave labor, the liberation of the slaves became a reality. However, their role as former free workers left them with no significant role in the new economy. While many slaves travelled to the North to find work and many were hired, there were not enough jobs to support everyone and many of these individuals ended up living in poverty. Since the descendants of slaves were never able to truly establish themselves in a society that only used them until they were no longer worthwhile, their descendants were never given a chance to thrive in modern society. Studies have shown that the children of the impoverished are more likely to continue to live in poverty, which is a trend that continues to impact the lives of minorities today (Walker, 2012). While slavery has been abolished, it is clear that its impacts are long lasting. Therefore, we must make up for the actions of Civil War era Americans and provide these individuals with the support that they need to get ahead in the modern world. Doing so is the only true way to fight against the repercussions of slavery.

While it is evident that slavery has led to the destruction of the wealth and happiness of many individuals living in the United States today, it is also important to consider that many of the areas that served as sources for the slave trade prior to the Civil War era continue to be impacted today. For example, in certain parts of Africa, slavery continues to be highly prevalent. When slave traders entered these regions, they disrupted the natural balance of the societies living there. In order to capture slaves for the trade, they therefore entered into agreements with different tribes who agreed to help capture their enemies. As a consequence, the tribes that were favored by these traders one to two centuries ago continue to hold the power in their region. They therefore continue to profit by selling their enemies to neighboring tribes, which helps support their power within their society. While the slave trade had occurred in Africa prior to the landing of European traders, their arrival increased the extent and profitability of these activities. Interestingly, this has created a significant power structure alteration in these areas of the world as well (Moten, 2013). Even though both the slavers and the slaves derive from the same geographic region, the slaves are still seen as lesser people. If these individuals were to be freed, it is likely that they would continue to be biased against in their society, despite their status as free men.

A deeper problem that has occurred in modern society as a consequence of this slave history is that blackness has been generally associated with “nothingness” (Moten, 2013). Individuals expect less of people with darker skin due to their decreased status in their histories. However, it is necessary to consider that the history of these individuals has little to do with their current abilities. Despite this, black people are generally perceived as being less skilled workers, less intelligent, and less friendly. Studies have shown that this perception of people of color is completely due to the perceptions of society. For example, there have been cases in which black individuals have applied for jobs using two different names with an identical resume. The resumes that contain a whiter sounding name were more likely to get called for job interviews, while the ones with a blacker sounding name were completely ignored. This demonstrates that the qualifications of an individual are irrelevant compared to the hiring manager’s perception of them. Since these resumes were identical, it is clear that the individual was qualified for these jobs, but since society perceived black individuals as less talented and lazier than white individuals, this person was not called for this job. This is an unfortunate situation that demonstrates the persistence of slavery in the world today. Individuals with dark skin are considered to be less simply because of a terrible history that they are not able to control. Individuals with lighter skin continue to be in power, which is the reason for this power dynamic. Overall, it is important for members of society to rethink the subtle way that they approach race and to bring these issues to light, in order to prevent the suffering of people with dark skin for many more years to come.

In conclusion, it is apparent that slavery continues to exist in the world today. In developed nations, slavery exists due to the continued poor treatment of the descendants of individuals who have once been enslaved. In addition, the slave trade that occurred one to two centuries prior to the Civil War created a social dynamic that allows the slave trade in Africa to continue to persist today. Both of these issues can be resolved if the other members of society can agree to think critically about the reasons for their subtly racist behaviors. Ultimately, these choices are rooted in a power system that minorities continue to have no control over. In order to provide all members of society with equality and justice, it is important to find ways to support their ability to leave poverty behind, work better jobs, and to get educated. Since this is what society expects of affluent individuals, these rights must be extended to all people. Overall, society will benefit from helping this true representation of justice come about, which is expected to support the well-being of all people for many years to come. Only then, will slavery finally be over.