slaves

Slavery is a system in which people are owned or treated as property and deprived of personal freedom, compelled to work, and not free to leave. Enslaved people may be bought, sold, or forced to labor under coercive conditions, with power imbalances controlling their lives. Modern usage covers a range of practices that deny autonomy, regardless of formal law.

Historically, slavery existed across cultures and economies. Forms included chattel slavery (people treated as complete property), debt bondage, serfdom, and indentured servitude. Slavery often accompanied war or conquest, and enslaved individuals could lack legal personhood or be transmitted within families.

Abolition movements grew in the 18th–20th centuries. Legal prohibitions followed in many countries, and international instruments—such as the Slavery Convention of 1926 and later treaties—established bans and enforcement frameworks. Despite this, illicit forms persisted and some states maintained de facto practices.

In the modern era, slavery typically refers to forced labor, human trafficking, debt bondage, child labor, and forced or early marriage. The International Labour Organization and United Nations estimate that tens of millions are in some form of forced labor globally. Responses include prevention, victim protection, penalties for offenders, and supply-chain due diligence.

Scholars emphasize the humanity of affected people, using terms like enslaved person to highlight the lack of agency. The topic intersects human rights, labor and migration law, and development policy, with ongoing efforts to reduce vulnerability, aid survivors, and strengthen legal protections.