Modern Slavery: A Global Perspective

The purpose of the book has been only partially achieved. Its political ambition – to contribute to eradicating slavery - necessitates a parallel effort to frame the issue of modern slavery as a political discourse, requiring both a political analysis and the identification of consistent solutions. The book hints at explaining (in a Weberian sense) the presence of slavery with several co-occurrences – namely poverty, depravity, social apathy, socially accepted cultural and religious traditions, etc. – without, however, problematizing them. What are the root causes that drive so many people into poverty? What are the mechanisms that render people so vulnerable? Why do firms and households use forced labour? Whilst moral and cultural reasons might have an important influence, they are a rather fragile scaffolding – unable for instance to explain the increase of this phenomenon over time - ultimately undermining any attempt to take action and, even worst, blaming the victims themselves. After all, what can be done if parents sell their adolescent daughters to pimps for brothels?