Exporting Institutions

Paper Summary:

This paper explores the relatively unstudied origins of the indentured servant trade. It claims that the institution of indenture was based on a combination of traditional English institutions; apprenticeship, farm laborers and domestic servants. This is proven by examining the social standing of each group, the terms of contracts in each profession, the tasks they performed and the social mobility they could expect upon finishing their term, in relation to indentured servants. The period before the large influx of African slaves is of particular interest in this study, since the dynamic of the servant trade was altered radically by the arrival of a cheaper labor force.

From the Paper:

"Opportunities that existed in the colonies were often closed to the poorer classes in England. Even for apprentices there were only four ways they could become established as a master; by marrying either the daughter or widow of their master, through inheritance, by purchasing a practice or by setting up their own. The latter options required a large initial investment, and the former circumstances were rare since a son of the master usually took over the practice. This left most tradesmen little better off than the common laborer . Servants in agriculture had even fewer prospects open to them in England; in order to marry and start their own household they would have to save the majority of their wages for about ten years, and then finding a small farm was difficult since they were much in demand and vacancies were very low."

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