From Chattel Slavery to Modern Slavery

Chattel slavery, in which people were considered as objects to be bought, sold, and destroyed, dates back to the dawn of civilisation. This work documents the legal basis for slavery and its many abuses across the ages by some of the main enslavers. The voices of the victims and those who observed their plight are given prominence as personal histories in each chapter. Slavery in the modern era includes enslavement by the Nazi regime and most recently of the Yazidis in Iraq and Syria by Islamic State. Slave-like practices, often termed modern slavery, are also included in a chapter of this volume. The book ends with consideration of whether reparations for historic slavery should be made.