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Message: <blockquote data-quote="kigmatzomat" data-source="post: 4007091" data-attributes="member: 9254">I'll agree with slavery being a typical indicator of an evil society, if not being necessary.  One of the base tenets of "evil" is considering other sentients as lesser beings, "not people" in other words.  Having said that, some societies can be neutral or basically good while having slavery if it has distinct bounds; e.g. no hereditary slavery, enforced rules against slave abuse, very limited and proscribed ways one could become a slave, such as certain types of criminals (life imprisonment=life in slavery) or military prisoners.  A society can be good with these kinds of laws but inevitably will find itself sliding towards evil as the laws are widened or wars of conquest are fought to garner more slaves.  The only kinds of "slavery" that should be adopted by most good societies are the ones where "slave ownership" is more of an effort than a hindrence.  E.g. In my Dragon Lance game, a limited form of slavery is practiced in Solamnia according to my understanding of "ward of the state" and serfdom.  Essentially, after a person has so screwed up their life/finances that they become a detriment to society they become a ward of the state, which in a feudal society means the nobility.  It requires a court hearing (usually the town elders, an outside Knight of Solamnia, and the local lord), only the nobility are assigned serfs, serfdom is non-hereditary, and once a serf's debts are paid off they are returned to citizen status, albeit with a minder for a year or three.  The noble is responsible for all the serf's debts (which are almost always significant, at least for a peasant) as well as their upkeep and well being.  the noble must keep an open record of the serf's debts, expenses, and earnings, with the town elders and at least one Knight of Solamnia reviewing them quarterly.</blockquote>

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