Deforestation And Isolation In Brazil's Slavery

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Brazil’s Slavery Deep within Brazil’s dense interior, slavery dwells and grows. Brazil’s slavery prospers from the chaos created from the dense interior, the destruction of the rain forest, and the clash of new and old ways of life. These three parts make reforms hard to establish and continue in Brazil. Slavery in Brazil remains in use due to the dense interior of the rain forest and the isolation that is caused by the forest. The isolation helps slavery function still in Brazil as the camps are fifty miles from anything related to civilization (Bales, pg 127). In the remote areas of Brazil, enforcement cannot reach these hidden camps (Bales, pg 124). The isolation helps the gatos control the slaves and get the work out of them. The fifty …show more content…

Those that help with the destruction of the forest live in an area without electricity, communication, or running water (Bales, pg 122). They are forced into the work and are under the control of those in charge. Seeing as a charcoal camp lasts about two years in one location, the deforestation allows the disassembling of the charcoal camp before any of the government officials can realize what has happened. The batterias are isolated; bodies can be easily dumped and replaced with new people (Bales, pg 134). One of the reasons for deforestation is that businesses want the charcoal. An easy way for the gatos to make a profit is to use slave labor (Bales, pg 142). The process of making charcoal demands a supply of wood that the forest offers. Deforestation requires workers to destroy the forest; cheap labor allows for more profit. Slave labor almost costs nothing, which allows it to grow in …show more content…

Although antislavery forces came from the British, Brazil still struggled to relinquish its use of slavery (Bales, pg 123). Government corruption is still a part of the old ways and new ways and feeds the slavery problems in Brazil. Slaves help produce iron and steel for the industrial and miming center (Bales, pg 125). At worst, businesses are capable to get away with just a slap on the wrist because the government cannot connect them to the batterias. The state issued identity and labor card also play into the mix of the old ways and new ways. The government uses the state identity card and labor card to use as proof of citizenship or working permit (Bales, pg 128). However, when both cards are taken away, the worker loses their identity as a citizen. The government cannot track them. The government cannot tell that they are being forced into labor without pay. Thus, the old ways seep through and slavery goes