Coerced Labor In The Early Modern World

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Coerced Labor in the Early Modern World

Introduction

In the work environment, it is common that people are subject to exploitation by the

employers. Employees should be informed that they have legal rights in today’s society to work

in a conducive or ambient environment. Any form of violation or discrimination should be

reported to the relevant authorities to help in the intervention of the case. The employers should

focus on maximizing the welfare of the employees as it determines the productivity.

Furthermore, as primary stakeholders and factor inputs, they influence the success of the

organization. In this regard, the analysis of the study will be on coerced labor in the early modern

world according to the given case study.

What do the four eye-witness narratives of coerced labor have in common and where do

they differ?

According to the video, it relates to how labor and employment relationships in the past

and the globalization of labor from slavery and resistance. The four eye-witness case presented a

similarity in the form of the workforce that was used. Slavery was the common form of

acquisition of labor (Dampier 138). The slaves were acquired through purchasing from the less

developed nation or the colonized nation. The employees were subjected to harsh working

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conditions. The employees worked for long hours, and they were harassed through even beating.

The slaves were subjected to whipping, and they had no right to make any objections regarding

the assigned responsibilities. The severity of the harassment is evident in the case where even the

children were included in the labor market and torture further subjected the slaves to death

(Dampier 139). The masters of the slaves treated the laborers in the meanest way possible

(Annenberg Learner). The strategy used to facilitate motivation of the employees included

lending of money in advance to facilitate funding of their businesses. Furthermore, the wage

rates were structured only to satiate the basic needs and could not offer extensions for luxury.

What specific insights or preconceptions do the narrators provide to the reader?

The preconception that the narrator seeks to bring out is that the form of labor that was

present in the past was based on coercion and exploitation. Unlike in today’s context where the

employees have rights of freedom and ambient working environment, in the past, the workplace

was so hostile. Furthermore, the quality of labor was equal as the slaves were all unskilled and

thus the wage rates were high. Most importantly, despite high demand for labor, it did not have

an impact on the wage rates, unlike the labor theories express. At high demand, the prices of

labor will also increase. The narrator reflects on the revolution of the job market on great

capacity. The systems that govern labor put in interest the welfare of the employee. However, in

the past, the workers laid no significance to the laborers. The productivity of the workers was

increased through coercion and exploitation.

How do the readings support or contradict the discussion provided in the Unit 14 video

segments?

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The video presents a revolution on the application of the compulsory labor systems

(Annenberg Leaner). The core contradiction of the readings is that they fail to internalize the

compulsory labor system and the specialization of labor. In the readings, the slaves were

subjected to work in any field, farm, construction of roads, or any other segment. In the video,

the compulsory labor system is structured to ensure the division of labor. Some of the slaves had

to work in the land permanently while other to the construction and development of the estates of

the wealthy masters. Additionally, the contradiction of the readings is depicted where the slaves

were mainly subjected to the production of goods and services. However, in the video chapter,

evidence shows that the slaves were used to develop the roads and the estates and there was labor

specialization. For example, in the casebook, the slaves are exclusively useful in the construction

of the railways. The support reflects in the exploitation of labor by the masters The slaves were

coerced to work in the farms to repay their debts according to the video which relates to the

scenario in the casebook (Dampier 137).

Conclusion

In the early modern life, labor was a valuable asset, and it could be traded from one

location to another. The laborers were characterized to be from poor backgrounds and thus were

subjected to slavery by the masters who were the colonialists. In today’s context, a significant

revolution has been witnessed in the field of labor. Unlike in the past, the employees in today’s

context they have rights and responsibilities which the government helps to facilitate them.

Offering a conducive environment for the employees is ethical. It contributes to protecting the

welfare of the employees and increases their productivity without exploitation.

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Works Cited

Annenberg Learner. Bridging world History: Land and Labor Relationships. World History

Traveler, 2015. Retrieved from

http://www.learner.org/courses/worldhistory/unit_main_14.html

Dampier, William. Coerced in the Early Modern World. London: E. Grant Richards, 1906.

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