[pbiggar]

I read a book about slavery by the guy who runs "Free the Slaves". It gave 6 case studies of slavery in the modern world, and Mauritani was one of them. It was the only one which seemed remotely humane.

In all of the others - ranging from indentured servanthood (yes, still slavery) in India and Pakistan, to kidnapped children in Brazil - the people were treated as expendable. Work them til they die, then get new slaves. By contrast, the institutional slavery in Mauritania, slaves are often treated like family.

I don't think we should argue which is worse - many have given their lives for their freedom so it doesn't seem like we can decide which is more important - but I don't think how they got in their situation makes them worse. (And rereading your comments now, perhaps we actually agree on this).

A final note: many other slaves are born into slavery, certainly indentured servants often pass on their debt to their children, and similar with lower caste slaves in India. In Thailand, parents are known to sell their young girls to the sex trade, which is roughly the same.

[wisty]

What I'm saying is that how they got in their situation isn't as big a factor as the conditions they are in. And yes, I think we both are making very similar arguments.