Imagine you drive into a new town with "nothing." You’ve got a beat up old car, the clothes on your back and no other possessions to speak of. You need food in order to survive. In fact, your last meal was four days ago, and you’re really, really hungry. Shelter would also be nice. You've tried to find a job, but there are really none to be had. No one can afford to hire you. You could sell your car, but what would it get you?
There’s a business owner on the corner. He’s taken a break, in the middle of his busy day, to take a walk around town, and he’s getting ready to cross the street. “Excuse me!” you say. “I wonder if you can help me. I have no place to go, and I’ve tried to get a job, but nobody’s hiring.” (And it’s true – No one is hiring!) “You seem to be well-dressed and well-fed. Would it be possible for me to place myself under your authority, doing whatever tasks you might require, for some food and shelter? I’m willing to stay for as long as you need me, if you’ll have me. I won’t be any trouble, I promise.”
Let’s pretend that this is a culture in which your request is not strange – not a bit unusual. In fact, people are forced, under similar circumstances, to “enslave” themselves rather frequently. They have no choice. They are subject to the kindness and/or willingness of whoever has the means to provide some sort of support. They can’t pay you because they are just getting by, themselves. However, a little bit of food and a corner of the house is a reasonable exchange in order to accomplish more of what needs to be done in the course of a day.
As long as the man is providing for you, you are his slave. He may be generous with you, or miserly. You may be cooperative, or begin to rebel. But this is a fact of life. No one would think it strange, because many would share this same set of circumstances. It’s hard for us to imagine in this day and age, but once upon a time, this would have been the norm. Cultures throughout history have existed and survived with this key element in place. Over time, though, man’s degenerative condition continues to bring about a more corrupt and cruel way of dealing with one another. As a result, “slavery” is thought of as an “evil” and "suspect" institution.
1 comment:
The problem with this scenario is that slavery, by definition, is not a circumstance that is entered into by the will of the one enslaved. A slave is purchased according to the will of a property owner. Usually, a wealthy one. It's interesting to consider the "what if" of someone willingly subjecting themselves to a form of slavery. But this scenario really describes a type of servanthood. A servant is paid (in money, or room & board) by the one who agrees to do the paying. A servant, generally speaking, can walk away - quit. A slave can't - unless it is in rebellion. When captured, the penalty is death.
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