On the practice of Imperial Slavery
09 Nov 2018Elton Poole
It seems a lot of people who have been brought up in the Federation have a limited understanding of the difference between Slavery and Imperial Slavery.An Imperial slave has rights laid down in legislature that comes from near antiquity. An Imperial slave has many legal protections - there are limits to the amount of hours he must work in a week; the quality of the food and water he or she receives; An Imperial slave may not indulge in drugs or alcohol; he must have at least one day of rest in every seven; beatings are illegal and punitive treatments include solitary confinement, extra work or an extension of the term of service; an Imperial Slave enters slavery by choice with a pre-agreed fixed term of service, and when he is released from service, he is treated as a free Imperial citizen with no besmirchment on his or his family's name or honour as he has paid his debt in an honourable fashion.
Slaves have none of these protections, and have no rights. Slavery is an abominable practice and should be wiped out wherever it is found. Imperial Slavery on the other hand, is a compassionate and honourable way to deal with people who have gotten themselves in over their heads. In the Federation, the poorest starports are filled with homeless people and debtors who have no way out of their predicament. In the Empire, a term of service to wipe away the debt and set themselves up with a little money ensure that people can continue their lives after a "hiccup" with honour and self respect. It's true when an Imperial Citizen says to you in bewilderment "but we have no homeless people."
After spending three years as an Imperial Slave to regain my familial honour after my father incurred large gambling debts, I am grateful to the Imperial way of life that enabled my mother and sisters to be able to walk on the street with their heads held high, and let me pay off my family debt in an honourable fashion that allowed me to keep my integrity and self respect.