History of Slavery and Its Impact on Contemporary Society

Introduction 

Though slavery and slave trade was officially abolished in the 1860s, its residual impacts are still widely felt in the contemporary society. During the colonial era, slavery was seen as a way of life, and governments even passed laws to govern the conduct of slaves. Slaves were seen as “machines” that propelled the development of the known world superpowers. Slaves supplied the much-needed labor in farms for economic growth. However, the main reason why the vice of slavery was deeply rooted in western nations is that of the need to show superiority over others. People from the white race saw Africans as a vulnerable and inferior group of people who were susceptible to any form of exploitation. It is; therefore, correct to say that racism formed an integral aspect of slavery and the slave trade. The foundations of slavery laid during the colonial times have significantly contributed to the institution of modern slavery and rampant racism that has continued to plague the human generation in contemporary society. 

Many thought that the abolition of slavery and the emancipation proclamation of 1863 would ensure that that that both the whites and people of color (African Americans) will enjoy equal rights and civil liberties. However, this has not been the case. Emancipation only managed to intensify white racism that has been passed down from one generation to the other. Slavery ensured that the whites enjoyed exclusive political power. Majority of Southern whites felt that emancipation undermined their economic power as it abruptly raised labor costs and black wages. The southern white elites fuelled anti-black sentiments in their communities which encouraged violence and racist attitudes towards black. Anti-black sentiments during this period also led to the institutionalization of racist policies such as the Jim Crow laws that intensified racism (James, 2015). The line drawn between whites and blacks in contemporary society is a product of slavery. The future generation is growing up knowing that a boundary exists between the two races. They assume that having a white skin color provides one with a sense of entitlement and superiority. People of color are seen as having an inferiority complex. The resulting impact is the continued racial profiling witnessed today. The gunning down of 13-year old Tyra King in 2015 by the police led to outrage and protest as people termed the incident as police profiling of young black men. Protesters flooded the streets of the United States while holding placards printed with sensitive words such as “Black Kids Matter.” 

The classism systems witnessed today are the seeds of slavery which were planted almost more than 150 years ago. Many African American slaves were subjected to harsh treatment by their masters. They were viewed to belong to the low-class community who were unworthy to mingle directly with whites. Slaves were even denied the right to own property (Borucki, Eltis & Wheat, 2015). Some also worked without pay and the only form of compensation they received was food. Many white farmers used the free and cheap labor to generate more wealth that massively widens the social gap between them and their slaves. The children of the whites were even taken to different and better schools compared to those attended by kids from slave parents. Attempts and strict measures were put in place to prevent any contact between these children whatsoever. The community is divided into several social classes. There is an inexistent competitive playground between the whites and blacks in the political, social, and economic demographics (Muhammad, 2017). Slavery stacked the odds against the people of color when it comes to matters of economic prosperity. Inequalities in income distribution is still a core issue in society. The majority of people occupying the lower classes in the social ladders are blacks and other people of color. The majority of whites, on the other hand, remain in the middle-class and upper-class in the society. People of color, especially blacks, have to work twice as hard as their white counterparts for them to at the same with them in the social, economic, and political arena. The past days of slavery instilled the rationale that lucrative opportunities belonged to the people of a superior race (James, 2015). Maintaining the balance between difficult because the society is structured in such a way that opportunities are usually afforded by races that hold such positions in the first place. Statistics from various research findings show that African Americans are the most affected group affected by poverty in the United States. For this reason, the estimated unemployment among blacks is determined to stand at a staggering thirteen percent. 

The concepts of slavery used during the colonial era have contributed to the rise in the modern institution of slavery witnessed today. There has been a rise in human trafficking trade in recent times. Some people still view selling of people as s viable and profitable business. Although emancipation attempted to build a society that all people are equal, research studies have shown that more than 40 million people are still trapped in the bondage of modern day slavery. Slavery in recent times has taken different forms such as forced prostitution, child labor, and forced marriage (Waldstreicher, 2017). Therefore, slavery has only managed to live a permanent stain the fabric of human history and social relations. In 2013, two women and two men were charged in court in San Francisco for enslaving more than fifteen women in a brothel. Individuals belonging to diverse racial groups have been drawn in the modern-day slavery. Most people oppressed in the lucrative modern-day slavery include the Asians, European Americans, Latino, and Africans. Research findings estimate that the institution of modern slavery generates annual revenue of more than $90 billion. Tales have been told of how employers in the middle-east countries such as Saudi Arabia lure poor Women of African descent with attractive employment packages. They even facilitate their transport expenses and pay for their visas. These women end up being used as house slaves by their employers who at times use them as objects to fulfill their sexual desires. The institution of slavery established during the colonial period has directly influenced the existence of the commerce between master and slave in contemporary society. Those who have (the rich) usually see that their actions towards the have-nots (the poor) are socially justified. In the long run, the discrimination and inequality brought by the principles of slavery have continued to seep deeply into the aspect of the contemporary society, which is imitated by the younger generations (Borucki, Eltis, & Wheat, 2015). 

Conclusion 

Equality would only have prevailed only if the European colonialist powers had refrained from their actions of treating people of the African descent as slaves. All humans are equal, and a difference in skin color could not have been used as a measure of superiority between races. Slavery only managed to bring the current disparities and economic inequalities that have become prevalent worldwide. The ideals of slavery will continue in the future generations because children learn and imitate the racial attitudes and classism tendencies of their elders. Man is known as an imitative animal. The institution of slavery has also to the development of the practice of paternalism among countries, in which wealthier nations often enact policies that restrict the growth of weaker and developing nations. 

References 

James B., S. (2015). “Using History to Make Slavery History”: The African American Past and the Challenge of Contemporary Slavery. Social Inclusion, Vol 3, Iss 1, Pp 125- 135 (2015), (1), 125. doi:10.17645/si.v3i1.143 

Muhammad, P. M. (2017). The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade's Vestiges: Exploring Proposed Forms of Restitution 2016. International Social Science Review, 92(2), 1. 

WALDSTREICHER, D. (2017). Ancients, Moderns, and Africans: Phillis Wheatley and the Politics of Empire and Slavery in the American Revolution. Journal of The Early Republic, 37(4), 701-733 

BORUCKI, A., ELTIS, D., & WHEAT, D. (2015). Atlantic History and the Slave Trade to Spanish America. American Historical Review, 120(2), 433-461.