Slavery as an Industrial System

First published in 1900, this systematic analysis of slavery in primitive societies from an ethnographical and economic viewpoint by Dutch scholar Herman Nieboer (1873–1920) brought him international fame. The first part defines what he means by slavery, and then examines how slavery has been practised at different periods and in all parts of the world. In the second part, Nieboer analyses this mass of information from ethnographical literature to derive an underlying theory of slavery, and the economic conditions necessary for it to function. Discussing the different types of early societies - hunters, nomads and agriculturists - Nieboer shows how the presence or absence of slavery can be closely linked to economic conditions. The book was a key work in the study of early slavery, particularly as Nieboer concentrates on primitive cultures rather than on the ancient and classical world most studied previously, and covers a worldwide geographical area.