Chapter I: Definition and Distinction From Kindred Phenomena

§ 1. Ordinary meaning of the term “slavery” 3

It is necessary to know this meaning of the term, as both
ethnographers and theorists use it in this sense 3.—“Slavery of
women” and “wage-slaves” 4.—Three characteristics of slavery 5.

§ 2. Use of the term “slavery” in theoretical literature 6

Theorists agree that the chief characteristic of slavery consists
in this, that the slave is the “property” or “possession” of his
master.

§ 3. Definition for scientific use 7

We want a sociologically practical definition 7.—The function of
slavery is a division of labour 7.—Voluntary and compulsory labour
7.—The slave the property of his master and compelled to work
8.—“Property” implies compulsory labour 8.—Our definition. Its
advantages 9.

§ 4. Distinction of slavery from kindred phenomena. I Wives in an
abject condition 9

“Slavery of women” as spoken of by ethnographers and theorists
9.—Condition of women among the Australian aborigines. Bad, but not
so much so as has sometimes been supposed 10.—Division of labour
between the sexes not always so unreasonable as at first sight it
seems 22.—Wives in an abject condition show much resemblance to
slaves, but are not slaves, as their chief function is that of
wives and mothers 24.—Slavery proper does not exist when there are
none but female slaves 25.

§ 5. Distinction of slavery from kindred phenomena. II Children
subjected to the head of the family 26

Treatment of children among savages; Dr. Steinmetz’s investigations
26—Patria potestas and potestas dominica 28.—Children, though
entirely subjected to their father, are not slaves, as they occupy
quite another place in the social system 28.—Adopted children
sometimes difficult to distinguish from slaves 29.—Slavery only
exists beyond the limits of the family proper 30.

§ 6. Distinction of slavery from kindred phenomena. III Members of a
society in their relation to the head of the community 30

The subjects “slaves of the king” 30.—A king has never a right of
property over his subjects 31.—Penal servitude occurs in many
countries where slavery does not exist 32.—“Property” better than
“possession” 32.

§ 7. Distinction of slavery from kindred phenomena. IV Subjected
tribes; tributary provinces; lower classes; free labourers 33

“Slave tribes” and “slave districts” inappropriate names for tribes
subjected en bloc and tributary districts 33.—Lower classes. The
lack of details sometimes prevents us from determining, whether a
labouring class consists of free labourers or slaves 34.

§ 8. Distinction of slavery from kindred phenomena. V Serfs 34

Serfdom in Germany 34.—In France 36.—In Rome (colonatus)
37.—Opinions of theorists 37.—Serfs are not slaves, because they
are not the property, in the sense of Roman law, of their masters
38.

§ 9. Pawns or debtor-slaves 39

The slave-state of pawns is conditional 39.—Pawns are not in a
legal sense the property of their masters; but we may call them
slaves, as they take the same place as other slaves in the social
system 40.