Consequences Of Indentured Servitude

Although slavery diminished as a result of the movements in the 1800s, the European demand for labour did not; the thriving sugar plantations and the economic prosperity as a result of the agricultural successes further demanded cheap labour from the poor, uneducated East and South Asians. Despite its apparent similarity to slavery, the Europeans attempted elevating the status of indentured labourers in order to attract enough individuals to satisfy their need for cheap labour. Documents 2, 3, 4, and 6 consider the cause of indentured servitude and its contrast with slave labour, while documents 1, 5, 7, 8, and 9 reflect the consequences of indentured servitude and its similarities in working and living conditions to those of slave labourers.
In document 1, the British Undersecretary of the Colonies, Herman Merivale, articulates the work of indentured labourers to be similar to that of recruits for the military service. In his attempt to distinguish the difference between slavery and indentured servitude, Merivale tries to elevate the status of indentured labourers by highlighting that the work of indentured labourers is similar to that of people in the military service. As he further attempts to claim that the position as an indentured labourer is noble, and not slave-like, Merivale fails to mention the unpleasant conditions faced by indentured servants. To point out that people are voluntary to become indentured labourers, Merivale presents his bias. Document 5 reflects the true, harsh conditions indentured labourers lived and worked in.The first image is of a sugar plantation where Asian Indian indentured labourers worked; it illustrates how countless numbers of individuals are expected to live in a small living space. The second image illustrates the hard and never-ending work the labourers are expected to complete under the supervision of the European in white. The document clearly highlights who is in power; like in slavery, Europeans are put on top. Document 7 is a copy of an indenture agreement; the document reflects the number of hours indentured labourers are expected to work, the types of
Negatives regarding indentured labourers included huge demographic shifts and its similarity to slavery, while positive consequences were found through the slight organization and civility for the labourers. An additional document, perhaps some statistics from the Mauritius government, would be helpful in confirming whether or not indentured servitude benefited their economics. Because the majority of people in Mauritius were Asian Indians (71%) following the indentured migrations, we can analyze whether this “over-migration” caused a positive or negative change. With the economic statistics from the government, we can truly analyze whether indentured servitude is historically