SLAVERY MODE OF PRODUCTION

SLAVERY MODE OF PRODUCTION

Slavery refers to a situation in a society where a person owned by another purposely as an instrument of production. Or Slavery is the state of being owned and controlled by another person.  This economic system involved the ownership and use of slaves in economic production.  The slaves in pre-colonial Africa were therefore considered as personal possessions and could be inherited, given as gifts, brought or sold. Slaves were forced to work with no reward.

In East Africa, the  Sambaa, Kerewe, Haya, Ngoni, Ganda, Kamba and  Mijikenda owned slave. Also in Egypt slaves where constructed dams and pyramids. Along the coast of  East  Africa slaves were used in carrying loads buildings, cities, constructing dams and irrigation scheme. Slavery in Africa never existed as an institution except in Egypt Muslim communities and on the coast of East Africa

HOW PEOPLE BECAME SLAVES

1)      Some people were born into bondage by virtue of their parents having been slaves.


2)      Through the war among antagonistic societies, this during intercommunity warfare and enslaved and sold  into slavery

3)      Through selling peoples who were disadvantaged in particular society.

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Characteristics of slavery mode of production
    i. There was private ownership of the major means of production; during this time slave masters owned slaves as the major means of production. Also land owned by slave masters slaves become laborers.

ii. Presence of classes; there were emergence of two antagonist classes which were slave master and slaves. Example slaves were the producers while the slave master were the owner of production.

iii. Existence of dehumanization; human dignity destroyed in slavery mode of production. Example women were raped and people were sold while they were naked.

iv. There was low level of productive forces; productive forces were still low, but more improved compare to primitive communalism. Therefore it facilitated the production of surplus.

v. Existence of political system; these developed and emerged in different places at different times, which stimulated  by population growth. Also slave masters had army and prisons which were used in exploiting slaves.

vi. Emergence of exploitation; It was characterized by exploitation of man by man, whereby Slaves were the main producers, but slave master owned and enjoyed production.

vii. Slaves could be inherited along with other types of property. Hence generations of slaves from one family could work for generations of masters from another family.