Voluntary slaves: The codes of modern slavery in Turkey

Once upon a time, slavery was the tragedy of people bound in chains and whipped. Today, in the modern world, slavery has become a system maintained through payrolls, performance evaluation systems, and the rhetoric of "flexible working" and "personal development." Now, slaves call their own captivity an "opportunity."

According to the Global Slavery Index, Turkey is the fifth country in the world where modern slavery is most prevalent. It ranks first in Europe and Central Asia. Approximately 1.3 million people live under conditions of forced labor, debt bondage, and various forms of exploitation.

But the issue is not just the tragedy of agricultural workers or undocumented immigrants working under physical duress. Modern slavery encompasses a wide spectrum, from white-collar workers to motorcycle couriers, and from call center employees to academics. And the most frightening part is this: there is a large mass of people who accept, and even defend, this captivity.

THE 3 BASIC CHAINS OF MODERN SLAVERY IN TURKEY

Unlike traditional slavery, modern slavery is shaped under three main headings: precariousness, debt bondage, voluntary slavery, and psychological exploitation.

1) Debt Bondage: The New Name of the Chain

In the past, the chains of slaves were made of iron. Now, they are built through credit card debts, low wages, and the struggle to make ends meet. More than 60 percent of employees in Turkey are trying to survive on the minimum wage. If condemning a person to a salary they cannot live on is not modern slavery, what is?

Debt slavery is becoming increasingly widespread in Turkey:

Rent prices have skyrocketed. Many employees allocate 50 percent of their salary to rent.

Credit card debts have exploded. Credit card debt in Turkey has exceeded 2 trillion TL. People are taking out loans just to survive.

Freedom is no longer possible. Quitting your job means going hungry. In the past, slaves had somewhere to run. Now, the chains are woven with banks, landlords, and debts.

2) Voluntary Slavery: Seeing the Coworker Who Doesn't Like the Boss as an Enemy

What was the greatest fear of the slavery system? That the slaves would revolt.

Modern slavery solved this cleverly. It turned the worker against the worker.

Today, if an employee does not stay for overtime, their coworkers turn against them before the boss does.

Behind this pressure are the new concepts of modern work culture: sense of belonging, team spirit, commitment.

Yet, in reality, these mean: Consent to exploitation. Do not defend yourself. Forget your freedom.

3) Anatomy of White-Collar Captivity

In Turkey, white-collar employees, while working in the offices of "modern" companies with cool titles, are actually experiencing another version of slavery. According to the Global Slavery Index, psychological exploitation is one of the most common forms of modern slavery among white-collar workers.

The most common manifestations of this slavery are:

The obligation to be constantly accessible: Are you on vacation? Is your phone with you? Great, don't forget to check your emails.

The invisible pressure of overtime: No one is "forced" to work, but if you are not still in the office at 10 PM, it is not very likely that you will get promoted.

Exploitation motivated by the dream of promotion: Hundreds of employees work for the lowest wages, thinking, "I could be CEO one day." But the number of CEO seats is a thousand times smaller than the number of people dreaming of them.

DIGITAL CAPTIVITY: THE NEW FORM OF INVISIBLE CHAINS

In the past, slaves would plan their escape. Today, modern slaves don't even have a place to run. Because digital captivity has turned into a new mechanism that monitors, records, and directs every move.

Digital tracking: The boss is no longer at the desk; they are watching at every moment through emails, cameras, and Zoom meetings. Working from home can turn into a digital prison, not freedom.

Control of algorithms: Social media and artificial intelligence systems determine everything from what we watch to what we believe. Digital guidance replaces individual choices.

Work infiltrating the home at every moment: In the past, work ended when the shift was over. Now, work is in our lives at every moment with phone notifications and weekend emails.

The opportunities offered by the digital age also constitute the new face of modern slavery. Could the screens we connect to of our own free will be the new version of our chains?

WOMEN'S LABOR: WHY ARE WORKING WOMEN DOUBLE SLAVES?

Although women seem to be working within a system that promises equal pay and opportunities in the workplace, they are actually subjected to double exploitation.

Concentration in precarious sectors: Domestic workers, caregivers, women working in textile workshops... A large portion of women's labor is informal and precarious.

The never-ending second shift at home: Working women start a second shift with invisible labor at home after leaving work. Burdens such as cooking, cleaning, and childcare become unpaid jobs that men do not shoulder.

Not a glass ceiling, but a concrete wall: It is made difficult for women to rise, and their numbers in management levels are always kept low. While they are told "we gave you an opportunity" at work, keeping them away from decision-making mechanisms is a different version of modern slavery.

And the most critical point: Is the rhetoric of women's economic freedom actually a new method of enslavement by the system?

The working woman is encouraged to be a part of the system by thinking she has economic freedom.

But most of the money she earns is taken back by rent, daycare, transportation, basic expenses, and consumer culture.

The result? Women who cannot become free despite working, and who become cogs in a mechanism that only keeps the cycle going.

WHY IS TURKEY THE CENTER OF MODERN SLAVERY IN EUROPE?

So why is Turkey at the top of modern slavery in Europe? Because:

1) The unionization rate is very low. Only 14% of employees in Turkey are unionized. Workers are unorganized and defenseless.

2) Economic crisis and the struggle to make ends meet leave workers defenseless. People settle for even the worst conditions.

3) Precarious work is becoming widespread. Couriers, subcontracted workers, call center employees... Everyone lives with the fear of becoming unemployed.

4) Psychological manipulation is very strong. The message "hold onto your job, or there is someone to replace you" forces people to submit.

IS THERE A WAY OUT?

So, is it possible to get rid of this captivity? The individual way out is weak, but collective action is possible.

Unionization and organization must be mandatory. As long as the working class is divided, modern slavery will continue.

Solidarity networks must be strengthened. Unless employees look out for each other, the system will continue to turn them into enemies within itself.

Exploitation mechanisms must be made visible. If people realize how the modern slavery system works, it will be more possible to break the chains.

Awareness must be raised regarding digital captivity. While using technology, questioning the systems that hold us captive is now a necessity.

FINAL WORD : "Old slaves used to become free by breaking their chains. Modern slaves have a harder job. First, they need to realize their chains."

ERKAN ERDEM