Talk:Timeline of abolition of slavery and serfdom

This is just a start - should include appropriate legislation etc for all countries and UN - please help especially with links etc.

== Agreed -- there is an urgent need to define exactly what is meant by 'slavery', and the note about how some countries may have issued proclamations but not followed through for many years afterward. Russia still had a system of Serfdom as of the early 20th century, and Portugal was among the last European nations to let go of its huge colonial empire in Africa..... so it's very ironic that Russia and Portugal should be shown as among the first to abolish slavery. This topic already seems to be one deserving a lot of review and discussion before conclusions are made, and isolated historical proclamations and events need to be put in context.

Inaccuracy

The abolition of slavery in all of the portuguese colonies in africa,was declared in 25th of february of 1869 and not in 1961 as the timeline claims.This should be corrected.XPTO 23:54, 21 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

POV

"The abolition of slavery must rank as one of the greatest achievements of recorded history." What the hell, that's the least encyclopedic thing I have ever read on Wikipedia, including several cases of vandalism. I'm removing it. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.235.31.191 (talk) 18:24, 13 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Slavery, Slave trading, Indenture, Onerous apprenticeship systems etc.

I think it is important to preserve the type of slavery under discussion. It is also important to preserve the relationship between imperial/"great" powers and states to understand the nature of the problems confronting abolitionists. Robinhw 10:42, 8 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Russia

Add dates to when Alexander II abolished serfdom in Russia? -- 李博杰 | —Talk contribs 09:27, 29 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

EDIT: Sorry, just noticed already added. -- 李博杰 | —Talk contribs 09:28, 29 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

What is slavery?

The timeline is all very well, but without a definition of the word, it isn't as useful as it might be. I dare say that in some of the countries where 'slavery' had been abolished, the practice, as understood by others, actually continued. Some might argue that people trafficking isn't slavery. Is an indentured worker a slave; was a serf who owned a mill a slave; some might say so. If so, what aspect of their life made them slaves.

I think it would be a good idea if someone who has given the subject some very serious thought opened the article with such a definition, sufficiently rigorous to pin the subject down. Just my thought. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.187.233.172 (talk) 13:55, 1 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]