A friend shared a ChatGPT-generated 5,000 word essay without context or indication of origin, merely asking, “Is this fairly accurate?”
My first question after reading the essay was “Who’s the intended audience?”
The ChatGPT historical world view of slavery might be appropriate for a middle schooler. Slavery’s a complicated topic to cover in 5k words, so some simplification isn’t surprising.
But is it accurate? Not if by “accurate” we mean strictly adhering to facts. For example, the essay opens with:
“Slavery is the act of forcing another person to work without pay and against their will.”1
Is that in line with your understanding of slavery? Is this view comprehensive?
Modern definitions can be gleaned from the Internet with variation that supports Britannica’s caveat, “There is no consensus on what a slave was or on how the institution of slavery should be defined.”2
Reference to ownership of others and forced servitude are included in most on-line modern definitions. 3456
From the beginning of human history, slavery has existed as part of socioeconomic systems appearing in many forms, including chattel slavery (ownership which dehumanizes) and indentured servitude (providing labor for construction, agriculture, domestic service as a result of debt bondage), as well as military conscription.
In some instances the condition was voluntary, such as bondage to cover the debt for passage from Europe to the Colonies. Human trafficking, a problem that still exists today, is slavery without ownership. Legal ownership of others is explicitly unique to chattel slavery.
From the 1985 print edition of The American Heritage Dictionary, slavery is
1. Bondage to a a master or household. 2. A mode of production in which slaves constitute the principal work force. 3. The condition of being subject or addicted to a specified influence. 4. A condition of hard work and subjection: wage slavery.
From the 1934 print edition of Webster’s New International Dictionary, Unabridged, slavery is
1. Continued and wearisome labor, as of a slave; drudgery; as, such a schedule is slavery. 2. The condition of, or like that of, a slave; a state of subjection or involuntary servitude; bondage; thralldom. i.e. There is a slavery that no legislation can abolish, - the slavery of caste. 3. The institution of slaveholding. Slavery has existed in all parts of the world from the earliest times. The slaves were chiefly prisoners of war. Slavery lasted in Europe throughout the Middle Ages, but was ameliorated by the influence of Christian religion, keeping in the main the character of serfdom. Negro slavery was practiced by Ancient Egyptians, but the Portuguese were the first to introduce it into Christian countries on a large scale. The status of slaves has varied from that of a mere chattel, as in barbarous societies7, to that of a partially recognized legal person (cf. POSTLIMINIUM; DRED SCOTT CASE)8. 4. Slaves collectively.
Has emphasis shifted?
Language is important. Changing a word’s meaning, thereby biasing interpretations of historical records, adds complexity. Perhaps you’ve also encountered a word or two that seem to have taken on new meaning. It can be confusing, right?
In order to reconcile our past we must understand the context of events and conditions that framed our formative years. Words matter.
I declare the ChatGPT’s definition isn’t wholly accurate, although it is perhaps appropriate if the focus is chattel slavery.
A broader definition should include forms of slavery such as an individual’s addiction to __you_name_it__ and all forms of human trafficking, especially the sexual exploitation of women and children.
Can we agree that slavery is “a state of bondage or subjugation”? From there we can discuss the ways and forms of historical slavery and current practices, along with caste implications.
Leveraging the ChatGPT essay, I hope to explore history in a way that enlightens and clarifies our reflected view for a broader, deeper perspective.
Let’s do this!
https://www.britannica.com/topic/slavery-sociology
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slavery
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/slavery
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/slavery
I can’t help but see the irony in the comment that chattel slavery is associated with barbarous societies, considering America’s / Great Britain’s heavy handed involvement in the slave trade. I don’t suppose they meant us, did they?
Dred Scott as a partially recognized legal person is a topic I will explore later.