While forcing citizens to work for no money may appeal to European policy-makers as a solution to their youth unemployment problem (as we discussed here [6] and here [7]), it is a problem that covers a stunning 35.8 million people in the world who are classified as slaves, according to the latest data [8].
China, India, and Pakistan top the list of modern slave nations (in absolute terms), but Mauritania is the most 'slaved' nation with 4% of the population in some kind of bondage.
As Gallup notes, [9] most modern slavery is not visible to the general public, and victims may not be easy to identify using standard survey methods. Poverty is a clear risk factor behind modern slavery: Poorer countries tend to have more slaves; but a host of other factors may be perpetuating the problem, including traditional institutions, attitudes, social systems or poor governance, as well as individual risk factors such as lack of education or unemployment.
The Walk Free Foundation defines modern slavery as the deprivation of individual liberty for the purpose of exploitation. This broad definition includes many slavery-related practices such as human trafficking, forced labor, debt bondage, forced marriage, commercial sexual exploitation and the sale and exploitation of children.
[10]
Walk Free's GSI ranks 167 countries according to the estimated prevalence of modern slavery, using a combination of nationally representative surveys, secondary sources and extrapolation methods that take into account each country's vulnerability to modern slavery.
[11]
and it seems European governments are not doing too much about it (the letter grades represent government action)
[12]
But it seems Russia and Bahrain are the outliers with relatively high slavery given their wealth...
[13]
Obtaining reliable estimates of the extent of the problem of modern slavery is only the first step in eradicating it. Modern slavery will only end after the systematic causes and consequences of the problem are dealt with. First, victims must be identified and get the support they need to leave their situation. Criminal justice mechanisms need to be reinforced and coordinated to successfully prosecute perpetrators. Global supply chains need to be carefully monitored to avoid labor abuses by contractors and subcontractors.
* * *
Unless of course this is the New World Order plan after all... do debt-serfs count?
