Quote:
Ewen Ebsworth wrote:
Slavery as understood in the ancient near east was in the main voluntary. It was to prevent destitution and poverty or a way of repaying a debt. You have to consider the circumstances of the arrangements being made between master and slave.
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Ewen,
With all due respect, you're not on a sound historical footing here.
Some slaves were prisoners of war, some became slaves as a result of criminal judgment, some became slaves because they were sold into slavery by parents. None of these categories can be considered remotely "voluntary."
If you want to have a fairly thorough understanding of the historical roots of slavery -- even those instances which you justify as "voluntary...to prevent desitution and poverty or a way of repaying a debt" in the Near East, you would do well to read David Graeber's recent masterpiece:
Debt: The First Five Thousand Years.
Best,
Fred Little