Nick Pell

Right. It's time that somebody was fair to the slavers of history.

Right. It's time that somebody was fair to the slavers of history.

Right. It's time that somebody was fair to the slavers of history.

Yeah, I know. Me neither. But it was just too easy. You're right, by the way, this topic definitely needs a more balanced, level-headed, and I think more to the point, historically accurate review of things.

Yeah, I know. Me neither. But it was just too easy. You're right, by the way, this topic definitely needs a more balanced, level-headed, and I think more to the point, historically accurate review of things.

Yeah, I know. Me neither. But it was just too easy. You're right, by the way, this topic definitely needs a more balanced, level-headed, and I think more to the point, historically accurate review of things.

One of the things I really think we should discuss right off the bat is that slavery isn't a part of the past. Slavery is happening right now. And when somebody says slavery, you immediately think of the American South, the transatlantic slave trade, big plantations in Virginia and South Carolina, that kind of thing. But America didn't invent slavery.

One of the things I really think we should discuss right off the bat is that slavery isn't a part of the past. Slavery is happening right now. And when somebody says slavery, you immediately think of the American South, the transatlantic slave trade, big plantations in Virginia and South Carolina, that kind of thing. But America didn't invent slavery.

One of the things I really think we should discuss right off the bat is that slavery isn't a part of the past. Slavery is happening right now. And when somebody says slavery, you immediately think of the American South, the transatlantic slave trade, big plantations in Virginia and South Carolina, that kind of thing. But America didn't invent slavery.

And in historical terms, antebellum slavery, the pre-Civil War period of slavery in North America is just the blink of an eye in historical terms. There's a much broader history of slavery. In fact, it's more or less the default means of organizing labor throughout human history.

And in historical terms, antebellum slavery, the pre-Civil War period of slavery in North America is just the blink of an eye in historical terms. There's a much broader history of slavery. In fact, it's more or less the default means of organizing labor throughout human history.

And in historical terms, antebellum slavery, the pre-Civil War period of slavery in North America is just the blink of an eye in historical terms. There's a much broader history of slavery. In fact, it's more or less the default means of organizing labor throughout human history.

So there's some hunter gatherer societies that have slavery, but virtually every human society that invents agriculture also manages to invent slavery. This is probably also a good place to start talking about what we mean when we say slavery. So I think slavery for the purposes of this episode is actually referring to two overlapping phenomenon.

So there's some hunter gatherer societies that have slavery, but virtually every human society that invents agriculture also manages to invent slavery. This is probably also a good place to start talking about what we mean when we say slavery. So I think slavery for the purposes of this episode is actually referring to two overlapping phenomenon.

So there's some hunter gatherer societies that have slavery, but virtually every human society that invents agriculture also manages to invent slavery. This is probably also a good place to start talking about what we mean when we say slavery. So I think slavery for the purposes of this episode is actually referring to two overlapping phenomenon.

First, there's chattel slavery, which is people owning other people. Not only are you working for me for free, but I can sell your kids or basically do anything I want to or with you.

First, there's chattel slavery, which is people owning other people. Not only are you working for me for free, but I can sell your kids or basically do anything I want to or with you.

First, there's chattel slavery, which is people owning other people. Not only are you working for me for free, but I can sell your kids or basically do anything I want to or with you.

It becomes really difficult to talk about modern slavery if we limit the definition to chattel slavery, because a lot of modern slavery isn't chattel slavery. It's what we call forced labor. So you're basically working what's usually a very dangerous and deeply unpleasant job in abusive working conditions and not being paid for it.

It becomes really difficult to talk about modern slavery if we limit the definition to chattel slavery, because a lot of modern slavery isn't chattel slavery. It's what we call forced labor. So you're basically working what's usually a very dangerous and deeply unpleasant job in abusive working conditions and not being paid for it.