Maid, domestic helpers and slavery

We understand slavery in the context of the past: of cities in deserts, cracking whips and hordes of slaves moving immovable cut rocks.

At present, while remuneration for helpers seems fair and seems engaged in less harsh conditions, I am uncertain it is any less slavery. I observe this on two points:

– many people hire helpers. And when every other person around us does it, it is socially accepted as the norm. Caste systems is an example of how the norm does not equate to equity or what is considered correct.

– there are people in the world, perfectly reasonable ones, who justify low pay for certain segments of society against people who lobby more equitable wages

Put the two points together and I am not too sure, or rather I am extremely sure indeed that enough people in the world do not perceive even of the remotest degree that the economics of domestic helpers is slavery. Perhaps many do, but they turn a blind eye.

Fundamentally, human society has not changed much.