Yesterday I was looking at a large imported rug hanging in a shop window. The detail was astonishing. Thanks to a number of features in the media, I was aware enough to wonder if that rug had been weaved by a 12-year old child chained to the weaving machine.

Thanks Harry for your article.

humans are a commodity like any other, and when there are too many they have little value. every one would prefer to work for a 'living' wage, but if none is available, they accept or are forced into slavery. it's better than starvation.

it's easy to be against slavery, but if you can't think of a way to provide work for people who have nothing, if you can't think of a way to prevent corporations from moving their labor jobs to lands without law, if you enjoy the benefits of globalization without demanding to know the consequences, then you're not against slavery all that much.

You may be interested in another recent text about modern day slavery. Some details below with more info at
http://www.equippingthechurch.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=3762
Slavery Now - and Then
An investigation into modern slavery by the leading human rights authorities of our time in the context of the transatlantic slave trade.
Contributors include:
David Alton - Kevin Bales - Kate Blewett - Steve Chalke - Caroline Cox - Shay Cullen - Joseph D'Souza - Joel Edwards - Mike Kaye - Michele Lombardo - Anita Roddick - Benedict Rogers - Tony Warner - Brian Woods

And let’s not forget (or is it best we forget?) the national scene where slavery was used extensively with Indigenous people, wages stolen, children stolen to work as slaves all contributed to creating the wealth that everyone enjoys - bar those who paid most for it.

But it was never called slavery here; it was [insidiously] called 'protection'.

See: Stolen Wages information here: http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/library/subject_guides__bibliographies/stolen_wages

Rainier

Now that you mention it, would you call child marriage to elders slavery, or is that different somehow?

Not not really. I thought that someone like you who is obviously the offspring of your mother and her brother (do you call him Dad or Uncle?) would know about these matters?