Why Is Slavery Wrong

Slavery “Slavery” is the state or condition of being a slave in a relationship whereby one person has absolute power over another and controls his life liberty and fortune (Def. 1). Doing work under harsh conditions for low wage is the usual practice included in slavery which renders direct interests in conflict with asserting that interest as a matter of right. Slavery is much known from previous centuries’ when slaves were traded each for a market value, and even since its known abolition has been a subject of debate for its ethicality. Today’s society and morals reflect detest for slavery and generally promote it as wrong. Slavery has always been a subject of debates from a historical perspective and of course the ultimate discussion
for its pros and cons. The benefits of slavery included the boost in the economic system in the 1800s with slavery cutting down on capital costs as the industries then only paid for the machineries used and did not incur any expenses for labor wages which meant more profit. However, when slavery was abolished, the plantation and industries also took a downfall as they relied much on slaves, thus the benefits of slavery were practically attached only to the slave owners. With slave owners having more production and even if the slaves get shelter and food, the disadvantages of slavery is especially true only for the slaves as their physical well-being was in the hands of their owners together with the right to abuse them or even kill them as they were regarded as chattel. Being slaves was not just a racial condition but it became almost as a practice or tradition handed down to generations by virtue of parents being slaves. Slavery has always been regarded as unconstitutional as it destroys the slaves’ right of freedom and the right to the fruits of their own labor in the extreme sacrifice of their identities and the lives of their families. Indeed, the Old World benefited from the labor of slaves and slavery contributed significantly to the international economy with labor supplied as very productive beyond what the slaves were able or willing to provide. Slavery and its production raised the rate of returns on invested capital and created trade with the slave colonies as a leading sector of growth and stimulus to industrialization in the eighteenth century. However, with the economic benefits of slavery follows the principles of moral reason which considered the subject of slavery in the evaluation of Immanuel Kant’s ethical view and the evaluation of utilitarianism. Kant’s ethical views direct to the importance of rationality, consistency, and impartiality in dealing with people taking into great consideration the intrinsic worth of a human being as having rights, dignity and moral values. Kant believes that every human has intrinsic worth and for that are the same rights for all humans, other things being equal. He also believes that autonomy and ability to pursue one’s own happiness must be through the use of reason, thus ethics is a rational process, “a moral rule that is required by rationality” . Ethics is a rational process requiring everyone the use of one’s own intelligence to determine what is morally appropriate, and upon determination by reason is one’s duty to act ethically on the basis of what one has concluded rationally. Following such premise is the identification of the categorical imperative which according to Kant is evaluating one’s own actions as if such behavior were a model for all humanity; therefore slavery is a violation of the categorical imperative. Kant argued that a person must not be used by others and must be treated as an end in him or herself as responsible and valuable citizens in their created communities of persons enriched with dignity and respect. Following the categorical imperative in opposing slavery is the belief that no one must support the enslavement of others because no one wants to be a slave. Slavery makes human beings enslaved by others which directly illustrates that people are used as means to the ends of other people. Kant supports the perception that the happiness of a multitude is insignificant because what really matters is that once justice is misused, thus in this case – slavery, then immorality exists. Utilitarianism considers acting only on those actions with the highest utility and requires balancing own interests with those of others as it focuses on maximizing utility where utility refers to the production of good and happiness or pleasure in the absence of pain. Utilitarianism is regarded to be a moral theory that in “certain circumstances condone or even commend slavery” (Hare 104) and for such is often objected to as it is deemed as a theory that ignores slavery as a form of oppression and subjugation. This condition is in direct opposition to what Kant provides that the moral worth of an action is not based on its results or effects, but instead is on why the person performed the action. Utilitarianism has been negatively perceived as one sided with focus set only at the results of actions instead of the intentions which motivate such actions. Based on utilitarian grounds, an action intended to cause harm but instead carelessly caused good results is just equal to an action done with good intentions. Utilitarianism on slavery is clearly illustrated in a society where ten percent of the people are slaves. This deemed insignificant ten percent-rate of slaves is miserable contrary to the supposed benefits from slavery which is the remaining ninety percent who are not slaves and of course are much happier. As they are not slaves, thus they may feel superior and avoid difficult work while still have a larger share of the economic pie. Therefore, considering the freedom of the ten percent slaves and their happiness, the ninety percent or the rest of the population suffers, but utilitarianism would consider this situation because only the minority would suffer while the vast majority would benefit and eventually accept slavery even if it is an immoral social institution. The institution of slavery for centuries and over all continents only demonstrates that slavery in its many different forms is compatible with different economic systems.
The master-slave concept became a basic and traditional concept that can exist with any economic order. Modern slavery which evolved from use of slaves in large-scale production has led modern capitalists to prefer for slave labor over free labor wherein investment must gain returns with the use of slaves as advantages in cost. Kant is considered as a great influence in contemporary moral philosophy with his idea that all persons deserve respect and must not to be treated in humiliating ways to conclude that all persons have equal moral worth. Human rights law and modern liberal morality provide all persons a basic moral status that governments and other persons cannot violate, thus the negative consequences of slavery must outweigh any positive. Kantian perspectives are still viewed by the majority as in true advocacy of the universality of actions and the wrong of people in using other people as their tools. Kantian ethics takes into consideration human dignity and one’s desire for autonomy which prevents slavery. It must also be remembered by all generations that the legacy of slavery and its trade, however, is not limited to economic inequalities, but experience of slavery and colonization served as primary source of racism. Utilitarianism on slavery relied much on economic inequality for its concept of thought that it lacked to universalize the human experience to all persons and may still justify slavery in impractical large benefits beyond the direct suffering to the victims and even ignore the impact of social acceptance of harsh policies. Slavery is morally wrong because it does not respect the slaves' autonomy and calculating utility must include one’s own happiness as much as the happiness of anyone else because everyone's happiness counts
equally.