History: Those who Serve

Question 1

Who was Adam Smith?

Answer 1

Adam Smith was a Scottish economist, philosopher and author. He was (and still is) known as the ‘Father of Economics’. (1723 - 1790)
His most famous work is ‘Wealth of Nations’

Question 2

How did domestic labour work in Colonial India?

Answer 2

Domestic workers were often low-class families or slaves. They were treated very poorly. However, after some time, the British began to soften their grip on the ‘Jewel in the Crown of the Empire’, and gave these workers more rights, as well as freedom for some!

Question 3

How did domestic labour work in Latin America (historically)?

Answer 3

Latin America has always had an issue with protecting domestic labour rights. The ILO states that 18 million people in the area are domestic workers, of which 80% are subject to informalities, and 93% are women :(

Question 4

How did domestic labour work in pre-world war Britain?

Answer 4

Upper-classes would have the typical Victorian household Butler, who looked after the domestic maids, cooks and even nannies. With the industrial revolution, the middle class grew, and demand for domestic labour outgrew the supply, so orphan-labour wasn’t uncommon.

Question 5

How did domestic labour change over the world wars in Britain?

Answer 5

Because men were out at war, women got jobs in factories and fields, where they often remained instead of going back to domestic labour after the war finished. this mean domestic labour dropped dramatically over the course of the wars.

Question 6

When was the second Boer War in South Africa?

Answer 6

1899 - 1902

Question 7

How did domestic labour work in South Africa(historically)?

Answer 7

It was not uncommon for a ‘White master’ to have a ‘coloured servant’, but that changed after the Boer wars, when most of the population didn’t possess the economic power to own domestic labourers. Then again, when South Africa faced apartheid, the trend of coloured servants went back up, and has been like that to this day. 1.1 million South Africans are domestic labourers, with 54,000 of those being under 15.

Question 8

When was slavery in the USA banned?

Answer 8

After the civil war (1961 - 1965)

Question 9

How did domestic labour work in the USA (historically)?

Answer 9

After slavery was banned, households still had domestic servants, they were just paid. Over 85% of black women in the USA during the 20th century were domestic workers. However, after the civil rights movements of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, these servants could find their voices.

Question 10

What is a grey economy?

Answer 10

The informal sector of the economy, informal economy, or grey economy is the part of an economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government. Unlike the formal economy, activities of the informal economy are not included in a country’s gross national product or gross domestic product.

Question 11

How did domestic labour work in Indonesia (historically)?

Answer 11

The ILO states that there are 4.5 million domestic workers in Indonesia, and there have been several movements in the past that went against the absurdly poor working hours, salaries and treatment.

Question 12

What is an Au Pair?

Answer 12

A worker (usually from a different country) that becomes a temporary part of a family, doing light household chores, and supporting the family by (for example) waking up kids, sending them to school, making them lunch, cleaning up their room clutter, helping the kids with homework etc. The main difference between a nanny and an Au Pair is that Au Pairs have age minimums and maximums, which is (for example) 18 - 26 in America, and they need demonstrative childcare experience.

Question 13

What is a nanny?

Answer 13

A woman who is responsible for looking after the children of a household when the parents are away or still sleeping.

Question 14

How long has the concept of nannies existed?

Answer 14

Since the 18th century.

Question 15

What is a Butler?

Answer 15

A (usually male) person with impeccable manners who is the head servant of the household and is responsible for making sure all the other servants in the same household work together punctually and efficiently.

Question 16

How much are Butlers paid on average?

Answer 16

A lot. between $50,000 and $150,000 annually o,o

Question 17

Are Butlers still employed today?

Answer 17

For some reason, yes.

Question 18

What is an Amah?

Answer 18

A Chinese nanny or servant who comes from the countryside to come and help wealthier families in Beijing, Shanghai and possibly Hong Kong. The etymology for the term is under dispute.

Question 19

Where do Amahs usually come from?

Answer 19

Chinese countrysides.

Question 20

What is an Ayah?

Answer 20

A nanny or servant who worked for a European household in South Asia (including British India and the Dutch East Indies).

Question 21

Where do Ayahs usually work?

Answer 21

In South Asia.

Question 22

What was the role of a Governess?

Answer 22

To teach the children of a household, instead of having the children sent to boarding schools.

Question 23

How long did the hiring of Governesses last?

Answer 23

From the Victorian era until post World War 1.

Question 24

What is a house girl?

Answer 24

A girl or young woman often employed in a household with some of her own responsibilities.

Question 25

What is a house elf?

Answer 25

I’m pretty sure we all know this, no question.

Question 26

Which two house-elves are most seen in the Harry Potter universe?

Answer 26

Kreacher and (rip) Dobby :(

Question 27

When do we first meet Dobby in Harry Potter?

Answer 27

The Chamber of Secrets.

Question 28

What is the difference between a housewife and a stay-at-home mother?

Answer 28

A housewife doesn’t necessarily need to have children, whereas you can’t be a stay-at-home mother without children to look after. Simple as that :)

Question 29

When was slavery abolished in America?

Answer 29

During the US Civil war, 1863

Question 30

Who abolished slavery in America?

Answer 30

Abraham Lincoln in the ‘Emancipation Proclamation’

Question 31

What was the situation with slaves in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Answer 31

Slavery was still a lucrative business. It lasted until now - even though it has calmed down a bit - especially in countries like Somalia and South Sudan

Question 32

What was the first country to abolish slavery?

Answer 32

Britain - it abolished the British Atlantic slave trade in 1807

Question 33

Who were the Mongols?

Answer 33

The Mongols were the only group to have ever successfully invaded Russia in the winter!

Question 34

What was a Kholop?

Answer 34

A Kholop was another word for a slave in 10th - 17th century Russia.

Question 35

What was a serf?

Answer 35

An agricultural labourer - legally bound to a landed estate and required to perform labour for the lord of that estate in exchange for a personal allotment of land - under various similar systems, especially in Russia and eastern Europe in the 1700s and 1800s.

Question 36

What was Russia known for in relation to slaves between the 10th and 17th century?

Answer 36

Russia was a major involuntary exporter of slaves to outside countries, which included Germany, the Mongols (hehe), Lithuania and even the Romans.

Question 37

When was slavery abolished in Russia?

Answer 37

In 1723, under the rule of Peter the Great (although not really, he just changed it to Serfdom)

Question 38

What was Aristotle’s opinion on slavery?

Answer 38

That it was a natural and necessary part of a successful civilization.

Question 39

Where did slaves usually work in Ancient Greece?

Answer 39

They were mainly sent to agricultural plantations, with slaves being held in the dozens by one single family. However, slaves were also sometimes in mines, or even in domestic labour situations.

Question 40

How were slaves treated in Ancient Rome?

Answer 40

Very harshly - they could be beaten, abused, or even killed by their masters for even the simplest offence.

Question 41

What was manumission in Ancient Rome?

Answer 41

Where slaves could earn back their freedom and become normal Roman citizens again through either exceptional work, or -more commonly- through working a specific amount of years for his master.

Question 42

What were gladiators?

Answer 42

Gladiators were slaves who fought lions and each other for the entertainment of the public in Ancient
Rome.

Question 43

What was Spartacus known for?

Answer 43

Spartacus was a Roman gladiator who staged a slave and gladiator rebellion.

Question 44

Where did the Romans usually get their slaves from?

Answer 44

Their slaves were usually prisoners of war, pirates and bandits, as well as the occasional export from Turkey and Greece. Slaves were not determined according to race.

Question 45

What is Chattel Slavery?

Answer 45

When you treat slaves as property, and they are so for the rest of their lives, including any offspring. European courts encouraged this slavery, and possibly also in Ancient Egypt.

Question 46

What is indentured servitude?

Answer 46

When a person promises to serve an employer in exchange for food, shelter and other basic necessities. After the contract expires the person can buy land and property again and is free to do whatnot. As of today, it is recognized as illegal slavery in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Question 47

What is Debt Bondage?

Answer 47

The pledge of a person’s service with no payment as the repayment of a debt or other obligation. In this case, the period of work or other is often very vague, so the employer can trick the workers into working longer, or sometimes even for an indefinite amount of time.

Question 48

What is Forced Labour?

Answer 48

It is literally what you think it means. In Ancient times, however, it often meant calling up a lot of a nation’s populace to work on huge national projects. The most common type of forced labour is conscription.

Question 49

What is the difference between the word ‘slave’ and ‘ens

Answer 49

Using the term ‘enslaved’ gives the person identity, but referring to someone as a ‘slave’ removes that identity, and portrays the subject more like an object that a human being.