Page 2 | Has there been a country which has become an industrial economy without utilising international enslavement and domestic exploitation?

2024onwardsandup · 04/07/2025 14:12

EverybodyLTB · 04/07/2025 13:58

Australia’s development was dependent on forced labour. My ancestor spent 8 years building roads, having been transported there as a teenager for stealing meat. The infrastructure that allowed for its development was made possible by the labour of convicts, mostly made up of the poor.

Once my ancestor had served his time, he could not afford the astronomical fare to get back home, and stayed there working in the mines for the rest of his life for a pittance. He died in his 40s. That and the forced removal and genocide of indigenous peoples, to make way for the expansion and development, surely means it was slavery and exploitation.

im not saying that there wasn’t forced convict Labour - I’m just saying I don’t think it was critical to economic development. South Australia never had convicts. Mining and farming where the biguns in terms of economic development.

I also don’t think that the abuse of aboriginal people
was fundamental to economic development- it could have been achieved without any of that abuse. The aboriginal population was (and is) very small. Very different to South Africa for example. I don’t think economic exploitation was at the heart of the abuse of aboriginal people. I don’t think that makes the abuse of aboriginal people any better.

Natsku · 04/07/2025 14:08

Finland. Didn't industrialise until the mid 20th century but industrialised rapidly after WWII when the labour movement was already strong so domestic exploitation wasn't really possible, and of course no slavery.

EverybodyLTB · 04/07/2025 13:58

Australia’s development was dependent on forced labour. My ancestor spent 8 years building roads, having been transported there as a teenager for stealing meat. The infrastructure that allowed for its development was made possible by the labour of convicts, mostly made up of the poor.

Once my ancestor had served his time, he could not afford the astronomical fare to get back home, and stayed there working in the mines for the rest of his life for a pittance. He died in his 40s. That and the forced removal and genocide of indigenous peoples, to make way for the expansion and development, surely means it was slavery and exploitation.

Mrsbloggz · 04/07/2025 13:52

Sadly the law of the jungle never seems to go away.

2024onwardsandup · 04/07/2025 13:46

ChateauMargaux · 04/07/2025 13:34

White settlers stole the land.. that it pretty exploitative..

Also, convicts were sent to Australia and sentenced to terms of hard labour.

I think the terms would need to be defined - but Australia is not without issues.

Show quote history

I’m not saying it’s without its issues. I’m saying it’s economic development did not depend on international exploitation or domestic enslavement.

convict labour I don’t think was key to economic development in any meaningful way

the issue of stolen land is a different analysis

ChateauMargaux · 04/07/2025 13:34

2024onwardsandup · 04/07/2025 13:26

Australia. Aboriginals were treated awfully but they weren’t fundamental for economic development

White settlers stole the land.. that it pretty exploitative..

Also, convicts were sent to Australia and sentenced to terms of hard labour.

I think the terms would need to be defined - but Australia is not without issues.

Badbadbunny · 04/07/2025 13:28

SayLaveee · 04/07/2025 06:31

Switzerland

Switzerland isn't mass produced relative low/medium valued goods. It's highly specialised highly priced goods, along with it's huge financial services industry.

2024onwardsandup · 04/07/2025 13:26

Australia. Aboriginals were treated awfully but they weren’t fundamental for economic development

Octavia64 · 04/07/2025 13:23

Lots without enslavement.

domestic exploitation is largely in the eye of the beholder. In England people moved from the countryside to take factory jobs as they were more secure and better paid.

plenty of people were half starving in the English countryside (and most other countries)

Original poster

Ursulla · 04/07/2025 13:21

I guess the huge amounts of uncompensated labour necessary for industrialization to be possible have to come from somewhere.

OP posts:

Prayingforananswer · 04/07/2025 06:37

South Korea, but it depends on how domestic exploitation is defined. They study and work insane hours there in comparison to Western countries, but it's not illegal and also not unusual in the Far East.

eta On a recent reality show, one of the contestants was a doctor who had a side gig as the CEO of a tech company. He existed on three hours sleep a night!

SayLaveee · 04/07/2025 06:31

Switzerland

TheAutumnCrow · 04/07/2025 06:27

No. Not possible.