Indentured Servitude

Publication Date :

16 Sep, 2022

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Table Of Contents

What Is Indentured Servitude?

Indentured servitude is a legally binding agreement between two parties where one agrees to work for free. The contract lasts for a specific period. Sometimes laborers enter such a contract for specific purposes like loan repayments, commitments, or pledges.

In addition to the contractual terms, indentured laborers may receive monetary incentives or freedom dues from their master at the end of the tenure. Indentured servants were employed as house helpers, gardeners, cooks, construction laborers, farmers, tobacco field workers, and general laborers.

What is Indentured Servitude?

Indentured servitude is a condition where two individuals enter into a contract. For example, a laborer agrees to serve a master without pay for a fixed period. Laborers enter such contracts to fulfill loans, indentures, pledges, or commitments.
However, some indentured servants receive freedom dues and monetary incentives after fulfilling the contract.
Compared to enslaved people, these servants got more freedom. They were allowed basic facilities like transportation, shelter, food, and clothing. Some masters even provided free medical care.
Since 1917, indentured labor has been deemed illegal.

Indentured Servitude Explained

Indentured servitude meaning implies an alternative to slavery when the United States faced a shortage of cheap labor. Wealthy American landowners required people to manage vast farmlands. Consequentially, the indentured servitude system was widespread in America during the 1600s.

These servants were hired for a specific tenure—adults were on a service period of seven years—children served longer tenures. Skilled laborers entered into a four or five-year contract. Indentured servants could be loaned, sold, or inherited by other masters without consent—this is applicable throughout the contract period. Beyond the contract terms, indentured laborers do not get any wages.

Indentured servants worked for their masters to repay loans, indentures, or fulfill other commitments depending on the fixed tenure contract between the two. They worked as gardeners, farmers, housekeepers, cooks, general laborers, bricklayers, plasterers, or blacksmiths. Also, they were allowed a certain degree of freedom and rights not provided to slaves. Indentured servants received amenities like transportation, food, shelter, and clothing from their masters. Some masters provided free medical assistance as well.

Many masters promise a share of land, livestock, estate, tools, etc., once the contract is completed successfully. Therefore, indentured servants have the right to approach a court of law if a landowner refuses to comply with the contract. However, masters may legally increase the contract period if servants misbehave, i.e., if they run away, get married, get pregnant, etc.

Example

Between 1840–1917, the Caribbean sugar plantation owners hired indentured laborers from South Asia, specifically from China and India. However, unlike African indentured laborers, South Asian servants were not forced to join. Rather, they were allured with the promise of a better life in the Caribbean Islands.

In reality, though, the misinformed indentured servants faced corporal punishment in the Caribbean Islands. To make matters worse, they were not afforded any judicial remedy.

Despite the controversies, South Asian indentured servants chose to live in the Caribbean even after completing their five-year indentured servitude contracts. In the 1850s, Trinidad offered Crown Land to indentured laborers—it allowed laborers to become plantation owners by planting sugar for themselves.

Eventually, the servants got legal recognition and were permitted to get married and start their families.

Indentured Servitude vs Slavery

Indentured servitude and slavery have certain resemblances. Let us now discuss the differences between the two.

Basis	Indentured Servitude	Slavery
Meaning	It is a contractual arrangement between two parties where one agrees to work for the other for a specific duration without monetary remuneration.	Slavery is a state where one person considers the other their personal property and exploits the latter by forcing them to follow their orders for their lifetime.
Purpose	Indentured servants aim to repay loans or indenture by entering into a contract.	People became enslaved to repay debt, make money, or face punishment. Some are even captivated.
Willingness	The indentured servant voluntarily or willingly provides such a service.	Individuals are enslaved by force.
Tenure of Service	It has a contract period of several years and can be extended by the master in case of contract violation. Adults enter into seven-year contracts, while children serve longer tenures.	It is lifelong bondage.
Degree of Freedom	Indentured servants had more freedom than enslaved people. However, indentured laborers receive basic amenities like food, transportation, shelter, and clothes.	Enslaved people did not enjoy any freedom. On the contrary, they were at their master’s mercy.
Social Recognition	The indentured servants have a certain level of social recognition.	The masters considered the enslaved individuals as personal property, thus depriving them of social recognition.
Contract	Yes	No
Rights	Such servants have the right to seek jurisdictional help and claim ownership of land.	Enslaved people have no rights.
Passes on to Generations	No	Yes, children of enslaved individuals also became enslaved.

Is Indentured Servitude Legal?

Indentured servitude was a mode of acquiring cheap labor for cultivation, farming, plantation, harvesting, housekeeping, and industrial chores. In 1607 the Virginia Company brought the initial group of indentured servants to the US settlement of Jamestown.

By 1619, African workers were taken as indentured servants and sent to Virginia. Initially, they enjoyed the same rights and degree of freedom as the other indentured servants. But soon, the slave laws of 1641 were passed in Massachusetts. Between 1641 and 1661, indentured laborers from Africa were deprived of all rights.

Consequently, the demand for indentured servants rose significantly—costs skyrocketed. In addition, laborers were entitled to a share of the landowner's property. This became a matter of concern for the owners. In response, many indentured laborers were forcibly enslaved.

These practices violated basic human rights and threatened humanity: indentured servitude became illegal across the United States in 1917. The 13th United States Constitutional amendment was passed after the Civil War. Since then, indentured labor has been banned worldwide.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who are indentured servants?

An indentured servant is an individual who works for another person to repay a loan or to fulfill a commitment by entering into a contract with a landowner. Indentured laborers work without pay.

2. When was indentured servitude abolished?

In America, indentured labor gained popularity after the abolishment of slavery in 1607; however, it was abolished only in 1917.

3. When did indentured servitude start?

The concept of indentured labor started in the 1600s. There was a need for workers and laborers in American plantations to harvest and cultivate crops like indigo, tobacco, rice, etc.

4. Is indentured servitude slavery?

Indentured labor is a contractual arrangement between two parties where one willingly agrees to work for without monetary compensation. This contract is for a specific term and is undertaken to pay off a loan or indenture. It is different from slavery which lasts a lifetime. Enslaved people are forced into it; there is no contract. Enslavers treated enslaved people like personal property.