--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Slavery as an institution that degraded…" description: "\"Slavery as an institution that degraded man to a thing has never died out. In some periods of history it has flourished: many civilizations have climbe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/568/milton-meltzer-85985_civilization_slavery-as-an-institution-that-degraded_1864626.jpg" --- # Slavery as an institution that degraded man to a thing has… ![“Slavery as an institution that degraded man to a thing has never died out. In some periods of history it has flourished: many civilizations have climbed to power and glory on the backs of slaves. In other times slaves have dwindled in number and economic importance. But never has slavery…” quote by Milton Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/568/milton-meltzer-85985_civilization_slavery-as-an-institution-that-degraded_1864626.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/568/milton-meltzer-85985_civilization_slavery-as-an-institution-that-degraded_1864626.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/568/milton-meltzer-85985_civilization_slavery-as-an-institution-that-degraded_1864626.jpg) > “Slavery as an institution that degraded man to a thing has never died out. In some periods of history it has flourished: many civilizations have climbed to power and glory on the backs of slaves. In other times slaves have dwindled in number and economic importance. But never has slavery disappeared.” [Milton Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-meltzer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Slavery has persisted across eras, thriving in powerful societies and shrinking in others, but never fully ending. **In simple terms:** Slavery never truly vanished. Key Takeaway Acknowledge ongoing injustices and act against modern exploitation. Themes history human rights inequality Mood serious urgent Type historical activist When to use this quote - education reform - human trafficking prevention - policy advocacy - social movements Key Concepts systemic oppression economic exploitation moral decay Questions to Reflect On - How do contemporary economies benefit from hidden labor exploitation? - What responsibilities do individuals have to combat modern slavery? A Different Perspective Modern forms of slavery persist despite legal bans. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/died/) [Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Importance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/importance/) [Importance Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/importance-slavery-2532674/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Periods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/periods/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Slavery Disappeared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery-disappeared-2532673/) [Slavery Institution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery-institution-1710186/) [Slaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slaves/) [Slaves Dwindled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slaves-dwindled-2532675/) ## Related quotes > [Slavery's crime against humanity did not begin when one people defeated and enslaved its enemies (though of course this was bad enough), but when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/slavery-s-crime-against-humanity-did-not-begin-when-one-people/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [There are few, I believe, in this enlightened age, who will not acknowledge that slavery as an institution is a moral and political evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/there-are-few-i-believe-in-this-enlightened-age-who-will-not/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [“Slavery's fundamental offense against human rights was not that it took liberty away (which can happen in many other situations), but that it excluded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/slavery-s-fundamental-offense-against-human-rights-was-not-that-it/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [Slavery is an institution for converting men into monkeys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/slavery-is-an-institution-for-converting-men-into-monkeys/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In this enlightened age, there are few I believe, but what will acknowledge, that slavery as an institution is a moral & political evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/in-this-enlightened-age-there-are-few-i-believe-but-what-will/) [Robert E. 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Katika Biblia, Musa aliitwa mjinga alipokiuka amri ya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mungu-hutumia-watu-wajinga-na-wapumbavu-kufanya-mambo-makubwa-katika/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [The slave and those whose present life is miserable and who can find no consolation in the heavens are assured that at least the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-slave-and-those-whose-present-life-is-miserable-and-who-can-find/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I always read all these books about the slaves. My mother is very educated. My father would talk to us like we were grown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/i-always-read-all-these-books-about-the-slaves-my-mother-is-very/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [If we gotta fight and die for America, why should we be treated like slaves in America?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-williams/if-we-gotta-fight-and-die-for-america-why-should-we-be-treated-like/) [Hosea Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-williams/) > [“The master doesn’t need to chain his slaves; their needs will chain them to him. You can end slavery by the stroke of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/the-master-doesn-t-need-to-chain-his-slaves-their-needs-will-chain/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“Every nation is part of the history we inherit, blacks and whites, slaves and gods; we have no other option, embracing each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/every-nation-is-part-of-the-history-we-inherit-blacks-and-whites/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [In a lot of movies, African-Americans are either maids or slaves, but that's not all they were. We need to show that. And we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/in-a-lot-of-movies-african-americans-are-either-maids-or-slaves-but/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [I free slaves because I believe we are all created equal. I just can't think of anything that has a higher purpose than putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-williams/i-free-slaves-because-i-believe-we-are-all-created-equal-i-just-can-t/) [Virginia Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-williams/) ## More by Milton Meltzer > [“Books make their greatest mark when they reach readers in their growing years. 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