Please don't take this question the wrong way, I am just trying to learn and get the opinions of more people on this subject. I find it interesting.

  • jermaphobe@lemmygrad.ml
    hexagon
    ·
    1 day ago

    It makes sense to me that some form of forced labor would be necessary since it is the simplest way to organize labor. But yeah, I suppose different ways to organize labor could have formed instead, although it seems unlikely to me.

    • happybadger [he/him]
      ·
      1 day ago

      The Inca empire didn't have slavery, but they conquered and developed large amounts of territory even without literacy. They just exchanged rations of necessities for a set amount of labour per year. People had their needs met and Infrastructure Week went smoothly.

    • UlyssesT [he/him]
      ·
      edit-2
      1 day ago

      Slavery is a very old method of production that had a resurgence a few centuries ago.

      It's more of a regressive economic movement than a new development, then and now.

      It was not inevitable; the ruling class exploited socioeconomic conditions in Africa and exported enslaved laborers to colonies in the Americas accordingly.

      • jermaphobe@lemmygrad.ml
        hexagon
        ·
        1 day ago

        I was referring to slavery as a necessary step during antiquity only, more recent slavery I don't believe to have been inevitable at all.

        • UlyssesT [he/him]
          ·
          1 day ago

          The "terrible swift sword" that forced hunter-gatherers into the wheat fields was maybe necessary for economy of scale early agriculture, yeah.

    • multitotal@lemmygrad.ml
      ·
      1 day ago

      since it is the simplest way to organize labor

      Is it though? Wouldn't it be easier to organise labour if the people you're organising are cooperative?

      • jermaphobe@lemmygrad.ml
        hexagon
        ·
        1 day ago

        maybe it isn't, the more questions I ask the more I realize that I don't actually know very much about this.

        • keepcarrot [she/her]
          ·
          22 hours ago

          In a manner of speaking slavery is very simple if you're heavily armed and surrounded by people who do not want to do what you want to.