While the two systems of human bondage appear significantly different, they are more similar that most realize. \u00a0At the basis for both systems was the shortage of labor. \u00a0For the Russian system, this was less prominent until the Mongol period. \u00a0Mongolian conquest, Mongolian centralization of the state, and plague\u00a0 caused population shifts, forcing the nobility to largely abandon the indentured servitude systems that had been used for centuries, replacing it with serfdom, where the workers tied to land, rather than an individual. \u00a0The United States, in contrast, continued Europe’s tradition of using slaves, primarily from Africa as the main source of labor. \u00a0As the British colonies expanded, the need for exported labor grew drastically. \u00a0Driven by differences in race and a disconnect between the slave and the master that was not so distinct in Russia, American Slavery tied the slave to the owner, and were not considered human, but only as property. \u00a0As slaves were seen as property in the United States, entire businesses for created around the transportation of new Africans to the Western Hemisphere, as well as Europe. \u00a0In Russia, since slaves were not owned by an individual, and the importation of humans was not present, the concept of a business surrounding the selling of slaves was unknown to the Russian nobility.<\/p>\n
It was not until the mid 1800’s for both nations for their own respective forms of slavery were to be abolished. \u00a0In Russia, serfdom was seen as inhumane since the enlightenment, but was unable to find an alternative to nobles’ source of labor for working the land. \u00a0This caused serfdom to be practiced for another century after the enlightened ideals became prominent. \u00a0Similarly in the United States, the issue of finding alternative labor also proved difficult for plantation owners. \u00a0This was in addition to the blacks being seen as inferior to their white masters. This was\u00a0not seen in Russia’s system. \u00a0There was a rapidly expanding abolitionist movement among a wide range of social classes. \u00a0The debate on whether or not slavery should continue was one of the main reasons the Civil War occurred.<\/p>\n
If Russia also had a shortage of labor, why did they not import slaves from other areas, especially when there was a lot of economic potential in the business?<\/p>\n
How significant is the fact\u00a0that it took much longer for the two nations than Britain\u00a0and other\u00a0European countries to abolish slavery\/serfdom?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
While the two systems of human bondage appear significantly different, they are more similar that most realize. \u00a0At the basis for both systems was the shortage of labor. \u00a0For the Russian system, this was less prominent until the Mongol period. … Continue reading