Seanchan and their slaves

[Caelan Arendor]

Since we are all (hopefully) agreed in condemning slavery and in regarding this kind of “ownership” of other human beings as abhorrent and repugnant, the Seanchan attitude on this issue should not surprise us, especially when viewed against our own far-from-flattering history.

 

The Christian doctrine of salvation goes so far in its "holy book" as to enshrine slavery and its "rules," effectively normalizing it.

 

Some examples appealing?

 

Deuteronomy 20:10–14

• In war, women and children may be taken as plunder.

• Deuteronomy 21:10–14

• Female captives may be taken as wives after a waiting period.

• This effectively institutionalizes forced marriage / sexual slavery.

• Permanent, hereditary slavery of foreigners

  Leviticus 25:44–46

• Israelites may acquire slaves from surrounding nations.

• These slaves are property for life and may be inherited by children.

• In contrast, Israelite slaves must not be treated as slaves permanently. They are to be freed after a servitude of 7 years, unless they are tricked (I can expand on this if you wish in another place...)

• Exodus 21:20–21 (NRSV)

  “When a slaveowner strikes a male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies immediately, the owner shall be punished.
  But if the slave survives a day or two, there is no punishment; for the slave is the owner’s property.”

  The New Testament does not call for the abolition of slavery. Instead, it generally accepts it as a social reality and instructs slaves to obey their masters.

  So here is my conclusion: just as our own history (up until modern times) regarded slavery as a normal institution—benefiting countless people massively by it (Liverpool’s wealth in the 18th and 19th centuries was largely built on the then-already illegal slave trade)—a social order like that of the Seanchan, living at a cultural level comparable to our European Middle Ages, should really come as no surprise.

 

Your thoughts?

 

Greetings and best 73 --.../...-- de

Calean

[DojoToad]

2 hours ago, Caelan Arendor said:

Since we are all (hopefully) agreed in condemning slavery and in regarding this kind of “ownership” of other human beings as abhorrent and repugnant, the Seanchan attitude on this issue should not surprise us, especially when viewed against our own far-from-flattering history.

 

The Christian doctrine of salvation goes so far in its "holy book" as to enshrine slavery and its "rules," effectively normalizing it.

 

Some examples appealing?

 

Deuteronomy 20:10–14

• In war, women and children may be taken as plunder.

• Deuteronomy 21:10–14

• Female captives may be taken as wives after a waiting period.

• This effectively institutionalizes forced marriage / sexual slavery.

• Permanent, hereditary slavery of foreigners

  Leviticus 25:44–46

• Israelites may acquire slaves from surrounding nations.

• These slaves are property for life and may be inherited by children.

• In contrast, Israelite slaves must not be treated as slaves permanently. They are to be freed after a servitude of 7 years, unless they are tricked (I can expand on this if you wish in another place...)

• Exodus 21:20–21 (NRSV)

  “When a slaveowner strikes a male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies immediately, the owner shall be punished.
  But if the slave survives a day or two, there is no punishment; for the slave is the owner’s property.”

  The New Testament does not call for the abolition of slavery. Instead, it generally accepts it as a social reality and instructs slaves to obey their masters.

  So here is my conclusion: just as our own history (up until modern times) regarded slavery as a normal institution—benefiting countless people massively by it (Liverpool’s wealth in the 18th and 19th centuries was largely built on the then-already illegal slave trade)—a social order like that of the Seanchan, living at a cultural level comparable to our European Middle Ages, should really come as no surprise.

 

Your thoughts?

 

Greetings and best 73 --.../...-- de

Calean

 

Christian doctrine is much more closely tied to the New Testament; your Biblical references are exclusively Old Testament.  That said, I think there were references to slaves obeying masters and for citizens to submit to the government and pay taxes. - Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and so on...

 

Slavery benefitted many societies throughout history at the direct cost of the slaves and the nations they were gathered from.  I think that the slaveholders paid an indirect price of the moral degradation of their own society.  Slavery was (and still is) normalized by many peoples.  Eventually I think it reaches a tipping point where the abolitionists rise up, the slaves revolt, or it just kind of peters out...  Seems cyclical.