On Slavery and Libertarianism

Walter BLOCK

Abstract


Abstract. There is all the world of difference between voluntary and coercive slavery.  The physical invasions might be identical in the two cases, but the ethical analysis of each is diametrically the opposite. The only problem with real world slavery was that it was compulsory; the slave did not agree to take on this role. Otherwise, slavery was not only “not so bad” it was a positive good, for both the slave and the slave-master, at least in the ex-ante sense, as is the case with all economic behavior.

Keywords. Slavery, Compulsion, Libertarianism.

JEL. K29.


Full Text:


References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1453/jest.v2i3.346

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