The history of slavery is one of the most complex and debated topics in modern research. Unfortunately, in the contemporary world, the issue of human trafficking and enslavement is still relevant. Even though all the forces of international organizations have been thrown at solving this concern, it has not been feasible to cope with it ultimately. Society is experiencing echoes of the past, only from a diverse perspective of reality.
The slave trade is prohibited, yet specific organizations engaged in this illegal activity exist, which conveys a significant global problem that threatens people’s lives. Modern slavery is distinguishable from previous types; it has other causes and completely different sources. However, such a phenomenon remains identical: making a profit by exploiting defenseless people, humiliating individuals, and pointing to their place in life. The history of the slavery is complex, but the past events are the primary reason for issues in society today.
Slavery originated in the Americas through the transatlantic trade between Africa, Europe, and the New World. Europeans brought cloth, arms, and metals to Africa, selling or exchanging them for captives, then shipped as “live goods” from West African ports to North and South America (Patterson and Zhuo 408). Numerous enslaved individuals worked on American plantations, growing sugar cane, rice, cotton, and tobacco, valuable commodities for which Europe always had a demand. Access to and recognition in the public sphere was denied to them (Patterson and Zhuo 412). The fact that slaves labor assembled general discourse and democratic rule possible did not become a matter of public interest or discussion, and the modern separation of the public and private spheres ultimately reflects these origins.
Laborers’ struggle for the freedom to participate thoroughly in public life endured for more than a century. This struggle for recognition and privilege to partake persists today in numerous fields. Systematic exclusion and segregation laid the groundwork for diverse ways of life. The breakdown of families in slavery, where adults and children could be separated and sold singly, affects specific communities’ lives. The relegation of people to second-class citizens has also taken its toll.
There is still an overabundance of African Americans in American prisons, reflecting attitudes and conduct dating back to the days of slavery. The origins of the fear of black sexuality found in American culture and the perception of women as sexual property can likewise be traced back to the era of slavery. The issue that white or light skin color is privileged and have a higher status remains a self-evident, almost unconscious condition of modern society (Patterson and Zhuo 410). It is one of the most disturbing and dangerous legacies of slavery, and its overcoming is at the very core of the project of modernity.
Several centuries of slavery have established white supremacy in society, and it is still difficult to combat this attitude. For a long time, Africans could not study in the same classrooms as American children, had to occupy seats reserved for them on public transportation, and stood in a separate line at stores and cafes (Patterson and Zhuo 420). Slavery existed in the United States for almost 250 years, and it led to the fact that the black population is still experiencing much more hardship than white people.
After the Civil War ended, the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed, which officially abolished slavery. Nevertheless, the echoes of those times are still present today, and the history of slavery has its imprint on society. Frequent racially motivated conflicts in modern America are often news items in the media, all of which cause ingrained stereotypes. Although slavery was abolished long ago, some forms of slavery still exist, and the only difference is that they have adapted to current conditions.
Work Cited
Patterson, Orlando, and Xiaolin Zhuo. “Modern trafficking, slavery, and other forms of servitude.” Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 44, 2018, pp. 407-439.