Topic for discussion - manumission

[epeeblade]

(I haven't done one of these in a while, so here goes...)

I was reading the latest bit of A Kept Boy last night when something occurred to me.

In it Jensen vehemently denies being part of any family, and denies any identity other than that of slave. He's not the only one raised from childhood to be the perfect slave.

So what would happen then if the abolitionist movement does pass a manumission clause? Now granted, it's probably not going to cause hundreds of people freeing their slaves en masse, but I can imagine wealthy owners "freeing their slaves" in their will after they pass. What happens to the slaves who can't imagine a life outside of slavery?

(And yes this would probably be AU like whoah, but it's something I'm interested in seeing explored in fic...)

Comments

[khemlab.livejournal.com]

You know, I think it would be very similar to what happens with longtime prisoners who have been let out of prison with no real way to integrate into society as a whole. It would be irresponsible for the abolitionists to provide for all-out manumission without providing some mechanism for taking care of these slaves. Maybe a system similar to halfway houses? Or a way to reconnect with family, should the ex-slave wish? Or a requirement for temporary financial support from the ex-owner? I think the Stockholm Syndrome/disconnection with society would run so deep with some that they might not even want to leave their master's/mistress's household.

[epeeblade]

See, that's what I was thinking with some not even wanting to leave their masters' household. But what if they had no choice? Would it be possible to be re-enslaved?

And that goes along with your wonderful analogy about longtime prisoners who often do have a hard time integrating with society. Some end up back in prison because they can't function as free people.

But it's something the abolition movement should address, at the very least it's something they can be called on in fic:)

[khemlab.livejournal.com]

But what if they had no choice? Would it be possible to be re-enslaved?

I don't know if "not leaving" would necessarily have to be equated with formal re-enslavement. I do suspect some Masters would turn them out rather than not have a formal master/slave relationship. On the other hand, I don't see why one couldn't enter into a sort of "voluntary slavery" even though it would be outside the legal system. If I were a Master, of course, I would require such a slave to sign some sort of documentation releasing me from any future liability as to their labor costs.

Some end up back in prison because they can't function as free people.

Which is exactly the problem with our prison system - it teaches prisoners to be better criminals, rather than rehabilitating them to be better human beings. In the slave parallel, of course, slaves are taught (involuntarily) to be better slaves, not better people.

[daughterofelros.livejournal.com]

For what it's worth, with the institution of slavery as far as the American historical sense, many if not most states had a policy that if a slave was manumitted, they were Required to relocate across state, or at least county lines (possibly so that their presence would not encourage other slaves to dwell on the possibility of freedom and revolt.)

[darkrosetiger.livejournal.com]

It would be irresponsible for the abolitionists to provide for all-out manumission without providing some mechanism for taking care of these slaves.

Absolutely, and they're well aware of that--at least, the sensible ones are. The tack that Dylan in particular is pushing is the idea that if Congress doesn't do something to allow for gradual manumission, it's going to happen all at once at a time not of their choosing--and they're going to be first up against the wall.

The Reformist strategy is twofold: to make it harder for people to be enslaved in the first place, and then to allow those who're already slaves a chance to obtain freedom. Eventually, when the class of former slaves becomes large enough, you stop allowing people to buy slaves at all. And then you emancipate everyone. But we're talking at least a century or so for the process to be complete.

[darkrosetiger.livejournal.com]

I think the Stockholm Syndrome/disconnection with society would run so deep with some that they might not even want to leave their master's/mistress's household.

For slaves like Andy and Sherri in Dylan's household, that household is their family, and they have a long-term emotional investment in everyone there. They also like their jobs, and their work environment as far as working for Dylan. What they want is the ability to go on vacations without having to pretend they're on an errand for Dylan, and to get legally married, and to not have to automatically defer to someone on the street because they don't have a collar.

Since the first step will probably be slaves buying their freedom, and that can't happen without help and support from the master, chances are that the slaves who obtain freedom initially will be more likely to stay, because they're the ones who will be closest to their owners.