Laborers are not classified as slaves. Forced laborers are another name for slaves though. Laborers are paid where forced laborers, or slaves are made to with no reimbursement.
Slaves are classified as individuals who are considered property, devoid of personal freedom and basic rights. Historically, slavery has been used as a form of forced labor and exploitation.
Slaves were legally classified as property. They were considered to be owned by their masters and could be bought, sold, and inherited like other forms of property. This legal classification contributed to the dehumanization and exploitation of enslaved individuals.
Black Culture in the Eighteenth-Century Chesapeake and Lowcountry ... In both societies, seasoned slaves from the Caribbean predominated among the earliest ... Chesapeake than in the Lowcountry, other dissimilarities incline in a different direction ... a typical Chesapeake slave household at this stage of development.
Many white southerners feared free slaves because they saw them as a threat to their social, economic, and political dominance. They believed that free slaves could potentially incite rebellions, disrupt the existing racial hierarchy, and compete for jobs with white laborers. Additionally, they were concerned about the impact of free slaves on the institution of slavery itself.
All types of slaves ran away, including domestic servants, field workers, craftsmen, and skilled laborers. Slaves often sought freedom to escape harsh conditions, cruel treatment, and exploitation by their owners. Some slaves also ran away to reunite with family members or seek better opportunities for themselves.