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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @Bell_curve 3 Jul 2024 \ parent \ on: Africa is not doomed to poverty econ
Got it
Thanks for pointing me in this direction, I had no idea
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The Arab slave trade frequently involved the castration of male slaves, particularly those destined for elite positions in harems or households:
  • Castrated male slaves were highly prized and in demand to serve as eunuchs guarding the harems and households of the Arab elite[2][3].
  • Systematic castration was practiced to prevent male slaves from reproducing and becoming a permanent slave class, as the offspring of a slave and Arab master were considered free[2][3].
  • The castration process was extremely brutal and often done crudely, resulting in a high mortality rate of around 60%[2].
  • Castration altered an entire generation of male slaves, preventing them from reproducing and ensuring a steady demand for new slaves to be captured and trafficked[2].
So in summary, the main reasons were to create eunuchs for elite service, prevent the growth of a permanent slave class, and maintain a steady supply of new slaves by eliminating the ability of male slaves to reproduce. The Arab slave trade was characterized by extreme violence and inhumanity towards the enslaved.
Sources [1] Why were slaves castrated throughout the muslim world? - Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/sof03u/why_were_slaves_castrated_throughout_the_muslim/ [2] The Arab-Muslim Slave Trade: Lifting the Taboo https://jcpa.org/article/the-arab-muslim-slave-trade-lifting-the-taboo/ [3] Recalling Africa's harrowing tale of its first slavers – The Arabs https://newafricanmagazine.com/16616/ [4] The eunuchs rule Arab politics - The New Arab https://www.newarab.com/opinion/eunuchs-rule-arab-politics [5] Is there evidence that Muslim slave traders castrated any of their ... https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5luh6c/is_there_evidence_that_muslim_slave_traders/
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17 sats \ 0 replies \ @398ja 3 Jul 2024
Castration altered an entire generation of male slaves, preventing them from reproducing and ensuring a steady demand for new slaves to be captured and trafficked
This explains why the Arab slave trade lasted even longer than the transatlantic. As a slave, you were actually better off in the Americas, than anywhere else (Africa or Middle East)!
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