Slaves, Servants and Other Dependent People: Early Modern Classifications and Western Europe’s Self-Representation

This essay discusses how servants, slaves and other dependant people were classified by early modern Europeans through the analysis of the writings of ancient Greek, Italian, French and English authors, including philosophers, jurists, authors of directions on household management and travellers. After analysing common descriptions of servants and slaves, the issue of slavery in relation to the self-representation of Western Europe is briefly discussed. Finally, the chapter addresses various forms of dependence in different European countries from the late Middle Ages to the early nineteenth century as they were described by contemporaries.