Connection between indebtedness and bondage

 

Indebtedness and bondage are closely connected, historically and in contemporary society, through the practice known as debt bondage or bonded labor. Debt bondage occurs when a person pledges their labor or that of their family to repay a debt or loan, but circumstances—such as inflated interest rates, unreasonable terms, or additional living expenses—trap them into ongoing servitude with little or no hope of repaying the debt and regaining freedom.wikipedia+3​

Historical and Modern Examples

• In ancient societies like Greece and India, those unable to pay debts would enter into bondage, sometimes passing the obligation to their descendants.jstor+2​

• Debt bondage has persisted in various forms, from indentured servitude in medieval Europe to bonded labor in South Asia today.actalberta+1​

• It remains the most widespread form of forced labor globally; the International Labour Organization estimated in 2021 that about 5.8 million people are currently in debt bondage.wikipedia​

• Modern-day trafficking schemes commonly use debt bondage, such as employers making migrant workers work off exorbitant travel or recruitment fees with no realistic way out.ohchr+2​

Economic and Social Dynamics

• Debt can become a form of financial shackle and coercion, sometimes more powerful than physical force.polarisproject​

• Those most vulnerable—marginalized, poor, and migrant groups—often turn to loans out of desperation, only to find themselves forced into exploitative labor arrangements to settle ever-increasing debts.ohchr​

• The structural relationship between creditor and debtor often produces severe power imbalances; in extreme cases, debt bondage blurs or erases lines between "free" labor and slavery.sciencedirect+1​

• The connection is reinforced by laws or weak governance that allow predatory lending and discourage escape or legal remedy for those in bondage.modernslavery+1​

Key Features of Debt Bondage

• Service terms are often undefined or manipulated, so full repayment becomes impossible.actalberta+1​

• Additional charges (food, accommodation, interest) inflate the debt further.wikipedia​

• Debts and bondage may be inherited by children or passed between generations.faculty.georgetown+1​

• It represents a severe human rights abuse, recognized legally as a form of modern slavery by the United Nations.antislavery+1​

Economic and Theoretical Perspectives

• Economic theorists such as Marx described debt as a means by which capital extracts labor and perpetuates power asymmetries in society, maintaining systems that can resemble parasitic relationships.sciencedirect​

• Anthropologists note that debt is not only a financial obligation but also creates social and temporal ties, potentially transforming social relations into exploitative ones if the power dynamic is skewed.anthroencyclopedia​

In sum, indebtedness can directly lead to bondage when debt becomes a mechanism of control, trapping individuals in exploitative labor arrangements through force, coercion, and fraudulent means.polarisproject+5​

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debt_bondage
2. https://www.actalberta.org/our-village-news-blog/understanding-debt-bondage
3. https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2016/09/debt-bondage-remains-most-prevalent-form-forced-labour-worldwide-new-un
4. https://polarisproject.org/blog/2016/03/debt-vs-debt-bondage-whats-the-difference/
5. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25760398
6. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/449759
7. https://www.antislavery.org/slavery-today/bonded-labour/
8. https://islamic-relief.org/news/debt-bondage-and-dowry-abuse-kiran-tells-her-story/
9. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S001671852030138X
10. https://www.modernslavery.gov.au/about-modern-slavery/types-modern-slavery/debt-bondage
11. https://faculty.georgetown.edu/gg58/CBL.pdf
12. https://www.anthroencyclopedia.com/entry/debt
13. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-african-history/article/of-debt-and-bondage-from-slavery-to-prisons-in-the-gold-coast-c-18071957/27A645AD4791D140725A95CA632C9D05
14. https://www.britannica.com/topic/debt-slavery
15. https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257%2Fmic.2.3.44
16. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15240657.2014.877727
17. https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/crime-law/debt-bondage/
18. https://econreview.studentorg.berkeley.edu/hidden-in-plain-sight-the-tragic-reality-of-bonded-labor/
19. https://www.moneyfit.org/economic-bondage/
20. https://respect.international/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Debt-Bondage-in-a-Criminal-Exploitation-and-County-Lines-Context-A-Support-Resource-for-Professionals.pdf