Slavery is based on the exploitation of captive labor.
Slavery is the state of being a slave (a person who is under the control of another subject and who, therefore, lacks freedom ). The concept refers to a legal institution that defines the personal situation of slaves.
The etymological origin of the term we are dealing with here is found in Slavic. It comes from the Slavic word , to which is added the suffix -tud , which can be translated as "quality" .
Rise of slavery
Historians claim that slavery arose from the exploitation of the labor of those held captive after a war . In more remote times, these people were shot, although later it was preferred to use them as slaves to obtain an economic benefit or a service.
Slavery was accepted and defended in ancient times. In fact, philosophers such as Aristotle considered it to be something natural. During the European conquest of America , slavery reached its peak and was vital to the success of the enterprise .
The Europeans needed cheap labor to carry out their expansion plans. That is why they enslaved the native aboriginal peoples of America and brought slaves from Africa . This is how the slave trade arose, where black people were bought and sold in markets as if they were objects.
Slavery was formally abolished in most countries.
Abolitionism
Over time, a strong anti-slavery movement developed, which had its origins in the 18th century . The abolitionists based themselves on the ideas of the Enlightenment and claimed that all men should have the same rights. There was also an economic motive that helped to abolish slavery: the Industrial Revolution , which was based on paid work and not on slavery.
Historically important is the so-called Civil War that took place in the United States between 1861 and 1865. The North and South of the country faced each other in this conflict in which the first zone cited advocated an abolitionist policy , while the second staunchly defended slavery, since it based its economy on agriculture.
Fortunately, the North won and that allowed slavery to be abolished in the nation, which was the action that allowed the foundations to be laid for what would become the civil rights movement for citizens of the United States .
Today, slavery is formally prohibited in most countries, although regimes of labour exploitation that resemble practices prior to the 18th century still exist.
Slavery in the cinema
Cinema has often been inspired by slavery. A good example of this is the film "12 Years a Slave" , which won three Oscars in 2014 : Best Film, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress.
Steve McQueen is the director of this feature film that is inspired by the life of a real person: Solomon Northup, an African American who was born free but was kidnapped in 1841. Thus, he was sold as a slave to work on cotton plantations in the Louisiana area. A situation that he suffered for a total of twelve years.