Board Thread:Custom Lore Development/@comment-26535281-20161219170254

"Ah the issue of slavery, let me give this in a simple way that all of you can understand. Slavery provides major economic, industrial, and military benefits. It also serves as a more humane treatment and punishment for convicts and finally the supply will never end if we play our cards right. Thus I see no reason slavery should ever be abolished within the empire, Ave Imperator!"

- Lord Crassus Levito

Slavery is a deep rooted practice within the empire. A Slave can mean many things from the penal workers that run the massive factories or farms of the empire, to the highly educated 'Civil Servants', and to the gladitorum.

First lets go too the 'capture' and acquisition of slaves. Slaves come from either two pools of individuals the convicts of the empire and those captured in slaving raids by Mercators for profit. Most of these slaves are sent to work immediately in the massive factories or sprawling fields where they well work. One good thing is beatings have been favored out and replaced with minor shocks (What is a slave that cannot work? A drain) most of these slaves work for the rest of their lives maybe earning enough to be free or being freed for decades of effective work. Either way slaves remain slaves for a majority of their lives.

Many laws have been placed on slavery which include the banning of inhumane practices (Economic reasons of course), allowing slaves to hold property and wealth (Moral reasons of course), and the punishment of run away slaves (Fear reasons of course).

Now on the slaving raids. Some Mercators employ slaving raids as a boost to income the Empire allows the practice as long as they refrain from taking slaves from allied states or states the Empire is currently exercising diplomacy other then that everything else is fair game.

Unlike most goods Mercators do not have to pay taxes on slaves (Tariff wise) but they must provide a tithe of 10% of the slaves hand picked by the state. These are the best slaves of their crop and put to work immediately as the state sees fit. At other times a slaver will capture a very fine group of slaves and the State will purchase the entire group (Save the 10%)

Slaves can also be gained through the penal system in which slavery is a punishment for minor offenses and generally makes up the bulk of the work force. This is where the majority of slaves come from.

"See this is where the Terrans prison system is flawed, they let there prisoners rot, what benefit is that? The Empire instead of sending these bodies to rot and die we put them to work. It serves as a major economic resource and a proper punishment."

- Lord Crassus Levito

There are other types of slaves for example Civil Servants. They are the more educated and refined slaves put to work in the Ecclestum, Administratum, and other more refined roles. They are also educators, philosophers, and other great thinkers. Being off a high class when it comes to slavery Civil Servants are given a form of half freedom and in essence are spared the worst the empire has to offer.

Civil servants can be a philosophers imprisoned for treason, form captured individuals from more enlightened 'cultures' the most famous of these are the men and women from the Raion Consortium, Jolnnar, Gradium, and many other races. They are the most well off slaves given the most rights and privileges.

The State has laws put to protect slaves for overly unfair treatment and abuse (In all ways) but these laws do not protect 'Private Slaves' which are the slaves owned by the wealthy for a variety of reasons. If the Empire finds the abuse of slaves that could have had potential to serve the empire they will crack down with unrelenting force. This has been the bane of many corrupt and rather disgusting governors and other heads of state.

The State as stated before gets the best slaves meaning that the rich families normally get the hand me downs. Like the elderly or (This is going to sound horrible) disabled, disabled in physical ways I might add. To be perfectly honest the Rin would take a able body slave that was mentally defective. How these slaves are treated are up to the masters some are rather benevolent freeing their slaves after a few years of works and others, it would be best not to talk about.

The Final type of slave is a Gladitoriaii... They are the violent prisoners of war not suited for common labor of intellectual work and are thus sentenced to death. Not a wasteful death but one that provides entertainment to the crowds and distracts them from their cruel lives. Some Gladitoriaii earn enough fame and money from their fights (Yes they are paid and allowed to hold property and wealth) that they can eventually free themselves. Most having enough for a small villa and a plot of land on some back water planet. Most though die in the arena under the bright lights, laying atop the sandy floors, with the scream of the crowds filling their final moments in life.

Now on restrictions placed on slaves.

Marriage is allowed unless it gets in the way of work and efficiency. If it does then the couple are separated.

Slaves can own property and wealth but it is still technically the 'master's property' and can be taken away if necessary (Laws against abuse of this power have been placed)

Slaves are considered property of their masters.

Slaves have basic rights but cannot hold public office, cannot run for public office, cannot vote, and generally the freedom they have is considered 'Half Freedom' at most.

Other:

The Rin State does not 'Technically' support slaving raids but neither do they deny it. The slaves captured by Mercators and the consequences are their own problem the State only takes the required Tithe of any goods captured by a Mercator. By this shaky policy the State itself has stayed out of any major slaving issues letting the Mercators fight their own battles. 