Comments on: Slavery and the Nigerian horse scam http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2004/09/05/slavery-and-the-nigerian-horse-scam/ anythingarian bubbles and troubles from the land of the fretting nun Fri, 22 Aug 2008 04:42:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: kalebeul » Walter Raleigh and Nigerian scammers http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2004/09/05/slavery-and-the-nigerian-horse-scam/#comment-14933 kalebeul » Walter Raleigh and Nigerian scammers Tue, 14 Jun 2005 20:52:27 +0000 http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2004/09/05/slavery-and-the-nigerian-horse-scam/#comment-14933 [...] Being yet more foolish speculation. As you know, the Nigerian 419 fraud and the Nigerian horse scam are descendants of the Spanish prisoner swind [...] [...] Being yet more foolish speculation. As you know, the Nigerian 419 fraud and the Nigerian horse scam are descendants of the Spanish prisoner swind [...]

]]> By: Suzanne Wales http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2004/09/05/slavery-and-the-nigerian-horse-scam/#comment-936 Suzanne Wales Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2004/09/05/slavery-and-the-nigerian-horse-scam/#comment-936 Dear Trevor, The figure of 27 million comes from the UN. I think perhaps your idea of 'slave' is a tad out of date. Slavery does indeed exist today, just in different forms: debt bondage, unpaid domestic workers, sexual slavery (of which your Glaswegian friend seems to know a bit about) etc. Have a look at www.benetton.com/colors/issues/slavery53/index.html although the online edition is by no means as comprehensive as the printed one. Dear Trevor,

The figure of 27 million comes from the UN. I think perhaps your idea of ’slave’ is a tad out of date. Slavery does indeed exist today, just in different forms: debt bondage, unpaid domestic workers, sexual slavery (of which your Glaswegian friend seems to know a bit about) etc. Have a look at http://www.benetton.com/colors/issues/slavery53/index.html although the online edition is by no means as comprehensive as the printed one.

]]> By: Trevor http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2004/09/05/slavery-and-the-nigerian-horse-scam/#comment-937 Trevor Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2004/09/05/slavery-and-the-nigerian-horse-scam/#comment-937 Benetton says "Models are modern slaves" which is clearly a long way away from the OED definition upon which historical estimates of the slave population are based ("One who is the property of, and entirely subject to, another person, whether by capture, purchase, or birth; a servant completely divested of freedom and personal rights.") Even if you believe the 27 million figure (have you got a URL with numbers instead of a crap Flash presentation?), then I think that any serious consideration would lead you to the conclusion that slavery has not been so low in numerical terms since total world population was around 28 million, and that it has never been lower proportionally. Benetton says “Models are modern slaves” which is clearly a long way away from the OED definition upon which historical estimates of the slave population are based (”One who is the property of, and entirely subject to, another person, whether by capture, purchase, or birth; a servant completely divested of freedom and personal rights.”)

Even if you believe the 27 million figure (have you got a URL with numbers instead of a crap Flash presentation?), then I think that any serious consideration would lead you to the conclusion that slavery has not been so low in numerical terms since total world population was around 28 million, and that it has never been lower proportionally.

]]> By: Geoff http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2004/09/05/slavery-and-the-nigerian-horse-scam/#comment-938 Geoff Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2004/09/05/slavery-and-the-nigerian-horse-scam/#comment-938 Ooh, grumpy grumpy! It's funny because even Marx said that capitalism was better for humans than feudalism and someone else probably said that at least being a wage slave was better than being a real slave. Ooh, grumpy grumpy! It’s funny because even Marx said that capitalism was better for humans than feudalism and someone else probably said that at least being a wage slave was better than being a real slave.

]]> By: Trevor http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2004/09/05/slavery-and-the-nigerian-horse-scam/#comment-939 Trevor Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2004/09/05/slavery-and-the-nigerian-horse-scam/#comment-939 (Me? Grumpy? Sorry...) The British Anti-Slavery Society only arrives at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery">2.7 million</a>; I can't find any documentation that supports the "most" or "cheapest" in history claim, and I suspect they're rubbish. (For example, unpaid domestic workers are not slaves if they have the option (as most have) to walk out the door, and neither are indentured labourers if there is a meaningful prospect (as there often is) of them completing their contract.) Exaggerating numbers of 3rd world oppressed is an established means of making careers and funding nice meals and exotic travel, and I think that's what's going on here. (Me? Grumpy? Sorry…) The British Anti-Slavery Society only arrives at 2.7 million; I can’t find any documentation that supports the “most” or “cheapest” in history claim, and I suspect they’re rubbish. (For example, unpaid domestic workers are not slaves if they have the option (as most have) to walk out the door, and neither are indentured labourers if there is a meaningful prospect (as there often is) of them completing their contract.) Exaggerating numbers of 3rd world oppressed is an established means of making careers and funding nice meals and exotic travel, and I think that’s what’s going on here.

]]>