SLAVERY
AS AN INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM
ETHNOLOGICAL RESEARCHES
BY
Dr. H. J. NIEBOER
SECOND, REVISED EDITION
THE HAGUE
MARTINUS NIJHOFF
1910
PREFACE.
The present work is a revised edition of my book on slavery as it was
published in 1900.
Preparing this second edition, I saw that the general plan of the book
could remain the same. The details, however, wanted improvement in many
respects. The chapter treating of the geographical distribution of
slavery among savage tribes has been much enlarged, as the information
of which I disposed was far more complete now than when the book was
originally written. The theoretical part, I hope, has also much
improved. A closer study of the subject has led me to alter some
passages and make several additions.
I have also profited by the remarks of my critics, among whom I
especially mention Professor Tönnies (in Professor Schmoller’s
Jahrbücher, Vol. XXV) and Dr. Vierkandt (in Zeitschrift für
Socialwissenschaft, Vol. IV). To these I may add Professor Westermarck,
who, in his work on the origin and development of the moral ideas
(1906–08), discusses at some length the conclusions to which I have
arrived.
The fact that the first edition has been kindly received by the
periodical press has encouraged me to prepare this second edition. I
was happy to notice that my study of some conditions of primitive
culture was valued not only as a contribution to the knowledge of
savage life, but as furthering the understanding of the structure of
human society in general.
I will not conclude this preface without offering my sincere thanks to
my teacher and friend Professor Steinmetz of Amsterdam, under whose
guidance the first edition was written and whose help in preparing the
present edition has been very valuable to me.
Rotterdam, Holland. H. J. NIEBOER.
December 1909.
CONTENTS.
Page.
GENERAL INTRODUCTION xv
This book deals with the general character of slavery as an
industrial system XV.—We confine ourselves to the phenomena of
savage life XV.—The object of ethnology is not only to reconstruct
the early history of mankind, but to find sociological laws
XVI.—Bearing of the results of ethnological investigation upon the
study of social phenomena in general XVI.—Our method: inductive and
comparative XVII.—Ethnographical literature XVII.—This literature
may not be used without a thorough criticism XVII.—“Statistical
method” XVIII.—The facts must serve as a basis whereupon to found
theories, not as mere illustrations of preconceived theories
XVIII.—But we cannot do without leading ideas XIX.—We treat one
subject thoroughly instead of many subjects superficially
XIX.—Writers on the general history of slavery XIX.
PART I.—DESCRIPTIVE.
CHAPTER I.—DEFINITION AND DISTINCTION FROM KINDRED PHENOMENA.
§ 1. Ordinary meaning of the term “slavery” 3
It is necessary to know this meaning of the term, as both
ethnographers and theorists use it in this sense 3.—“Slavery of
women” and “wage-slaves” 4.—Three characteristics of slavery 5.
§ 2. Use of the term “slavery” in theoretical literature 6
Theorists agree that the chief characteristic of slavery consists
in this, that the slave is the “property” or “possession” of his
master.
§ 3. Definition for scientific use 7
We want a sociologically practical definition 7.—The function of
slavery is a division of labour 7.—Voluntary and compulsory labour
7.—The slave the property of his master and compelled to work
8.—“Property” implies compulsory labour 8.—Our definition. Its
advantages 9.
§ 4. Distinction of slavery from kindred phenomena. I Wives in an
abject condition 9
“Slavery of women” as spoken of by ethnographers and theorists
9.—Condition of women among the Australian aborigines. Bad, but not
so much so as has sometimes been supposed 10.—Division of labour
between the sexes not always so unreasonable as at first sight it
seems 22.—Wives in an abject condition show much resemblance to
slaves, but are not slaves, as their chief function is that of
wives and mothers 24.—Slavery proper does not exist when there are
none but female slaves 25.
§ 5. Distinction of slavery from kindred phenomena. II Children
subjected to the head of the family 26
Treatment of children among savages; Dr. Steinmetz’s investigations
26—Patria potestas and potestas dominica 28.—Children, though
entirely subjected to their father, are not slaves, as they occupy
quite another place in the social system 28.—Adopted children
sometimes difficult to distinguish from slaves 29.—Slavery only
exists beyond the limits of the family proper 30.
§ 6. Distinction of slavery from kindred phenomena. III Members of a
society in their relation to the head of the community 30
The subjects “slaves of the king” 30.—A king has never a right of
property over his subjects 31.—Penal servitude occurs in many
countries where slavery does not exist 32.—“Property” better than
“possession” 32.
§ 7. Distinction of slavery from kindred phenomena. IV Subjected
tribes; tributary provinces; lower classes; free labourers 33
“Slave tribes” and “slave districts” inappropriate names for tribes
subjected en bloc and tributary districts 33.—Lower classes. The
lack of details sometimes prevents us from determining, whether a
labouring class consists of free labourers or slaves 34.
§ 8. Distinction of slavery from kindred phenomena. V Serfs 34
Serfdom in Germany 34.—In France 36.—In Rome (colonatus)
37.—Opinions of theorists 37.—Serfs are not slaves, because they
are not the property, in the sense of Roman law, of their masters
38.
§ 9. Pawns or debtor-slaves 39
The slave-state of pawns is conditional 39.—Pawns are not in a
legal sense the property of their masters; but we may call them
slaves, as they take the same place as other slaves in the social
system 40.
CHAPTER II.—GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF SLAVERY.
§ 1. Introduction 41
It is not so easy as at first sight it seems, to ascertain the
existence or non-existence of slavery in every particular case
41.—Our method. 1º What if slavery is stated to exist? 42.—2º What
if slavery is stated to be absent? 43.—3º What if our authorities
are silent on the subject? 43.—We confine ourselves to savages
44.—Civilized and semi-civilized influence 45.—Geographical groups
46.—“Positive” and “negative cases” 46.—Use of the past and present
tense 46.
§ 2. North America 47
1. Eskimos 47.—2. Nootka group 49.—3. Tinneh group 50.—4. Algonquin
group 52.—5. Iroquois group 55.—6. Choctaw-Muskoghe group 56.—7.
Dacotah group 58.—8. Oregon group 59.—9. Californians 61.—10. New
Mexicans 63.—Negro slavery among the Indians 69.
§ 3. Central and South America 70
§ 4. Australia 83
§ 5. Melanesia 85
§ 6. Polynesia 97
§ 7. Micronesia 102
§ 8. Malay Archipelago 110
I Malay Peninsula 110.—II Sumatra and neighbouring islands 110.—III
Borneo 112.—IV Celebes 113.—V Little Sunda islands and Moluccas
114.—VI Philippines 115.—VII Madagascar 117.—Semi-civilized Malay
peoples 120.
§ 9. Indo-Chinese Peninsula 123
§ 10. India, Afghanistan, Himalaya 124
§ 11. Central Asia 127
§ 12. Siberia 132
§ 13. Caucasus 136
§ 14. Arabia 138
§ 15. Africa. A. Bantu tribes 138
1. Caffres 138.—2. South-west Bantus 144.—3. East African Bantus
147.—4. Tribes on the Congo and in Lower Guinea 149.—5. Natives of
the Wahuma states 152.
§ 16. Africa. B. Soudan Negroes 155
1. Coast of Guinea 155.—2. Haussa states 157.—3. Central Soudan
157.—4. Upper Nile 157.—Appendix: African Islands 159.
§ 17. Africa. C. Light-coloured South Africans and African
pigmy—tribes 161
§ 18. Africa. D. Hamitic peoples 163
§ 19. Recapitulation 165
PART II.—THEORETICAL.
CHAPTER I.—METHOD AND DIVISIONS.
§ 1. Method 169
Stages of culture; Morgan’s and Vierkandt’s classifications
169.—Distinction of savages according to their general culture as
yet impracticable 170.—Assertions about slavery being universal at
some stages of culture 171.—The existence of slavery probably
mainly depends on the economic state of society 171.—Opinions of
theorists concerning slavery at several stages of economic life
172.
§ 2. Distinction of economic groups 174
We shall inquire next how many positive and negative cases there
are in different economic groups 174.—We shall not give an
ascending series of economic stages. Dargun’s view 175.—Our groups.
1. Hunting and fishing 176.—2. Pastoral nomadism 176.—3, 4, 5.
Agriculture. Principle according to which the 3 agricultural groups
will be distinguished 177.—Trading and cattle-breeding
agriculturists 178.
§ 3. Hunting and fishing, pastoral, and agricultural tribes in the
several geographical districts 179
Our list gives no evidence as to the economic state of the
geographical groups 179.—List 180.