I am a Primitive Man

Chapter 484: The impending slavery and a safety line

Seeing the three captives prostrating on the ground in submission and observing the tribe's angry expressions, Han Cheng understood the people's mood.

These three were different from those of the Bone Tribe. A few years ago, they attacked his tribe and destroyed the Pig Tribe, and recently, they attacked the Donkey Tribe, almost wiping them out. Now, they have turned their attention to Han Cheng's tribe. Naturally, the people wanted to kill them all and didn't want them to join their tribe.

However, Han Cheng decided to keep these three alive. He wouldn't kill them, but they wouldn't become citizens like Tu Mao. Instead, they would be kept as slaves.

With over two hundred citizens now, it was time for the Green Sparrow Tribe to implement slavery. Slaves inherently had no rights or dignity. They would be given the worst food, made to do the hardest work and produce the most resources. In conflicts with other tribes, they could be used as cannon fodder to weaken the enemy without much concern for their well-being. They were more useful than milk cows.

With all these benefits, Han Cheng saw no reason to kill them. Keeping them as slaves would provide more value to the tribe. Such punishment was much harsher than killing them directly and would not create as much bloodshed.

“These three people cannot be killed,” Han Cheng said to the tribe.

The people were stunned, not understanding why the Divine Child would decide.

“They will become slaves to our tribe,” Han Cheng continued, explaining the advantages of slavery.

To ease the people's resentment, Han Cheng described the harsh conditions of slavery in more detail. As he spoke, the tribe's confusion began to dissipate.

Why should they be killed? Keeping them alive as slaves to work for the tribe seemed much better. They were strong adult males and could do many things, increasing the tribe’s production and strength.

This seemed like a great idea!

As the shaman considered this, he vaguely recalled that Han Cheng had said something similar when capturing Ru Hua a few years ago. Still, Ruo Hua and her people had fully integrated into their tribe then. He wondered if Han Cheng had similar plans now.

When the crowd thinned out, he asked Han Cheng about it.

Han Cheng smiled and shook his head, “No, we were too few back then, and it wasn’t the right time for slavery. Now our tribe’s population has grown significantly, and we can develop slavery.”

The shaman felt reassured by Han Cheng's response.

But then Han Cheng added, “However, in time, we might select a few to remove their slave status and make them official citizens of the tribe.”

“Why do that?” The shaman was puzzled again. He couldn’t understand why Han Cheng would want to remove the slave status from some of them.

In his view, having them as slaves was highly beneficial for the tribe. Wouldn't it be better to keep them as slaves to continue contributing? Removing their slave status would defeat the purpose of punishing them.

The shaman found it hard to understand the meaning behind Han Cheng’s approach.

Han Cheng, however, was fully aware of the reasons behind it. He firmly believed in the idea that where there is oppression, there will be resistance. Slaves and slave owners are naturally opposing classes. Slave owners oppress and exploit slaves, and over time, slaves will inevitably harbor resentment. When this resentment reaches a certain level, conflict is likely to erupt.

The most effective and fundamental solution isn’t to enforce even more brutal suppression, which only addresses symptoms rather than root causes and exacerbates conflicts. Instead, it’s better to address the issue through gradual reforms.

The approach should establish rules that allow slaves at the bottom of the social hierarchy to see a glimmer of hope and a potential escape from their dire situation. Although this path is fraught with difficulty, and only a small number might escape their plight, the existence of this path can prevent the situation from reaching a breaking point.

In such conditions, the lack of hope is the most terrifying. Having even a slight chance of hope motivates people to strive towards it. This not only ensures long-term stability among the slaves but also significantly boosts their work ethic.

Moreover, those who manage to escape their status through such a challenging process are typically the most capable among the slaves. When these capable individuals advance beyond the slave class, the remaining ones are easier to control.

Former slaves, having once been in the same position, are less likely to be sympathetic to the plight of slaves, thus eliminating concerns about leniency. This can be understood similarly to how officials from ordinary backgrounds, once they rise to the ruling class through the imperial examination system, are not particularly lenient towards their former subjects. Similarly, peasant uprisings throughout history often led to new regimes that were even more oppressive than the ones they overthrew.

Of course, just having this path is not enough. The Green Sparrow Tribe’s citizens also need the means to enforce control. If any slaves become restless, they must be suppressed with force to bring them back onto the right path. With this path in place, even using force won’t drive slaves to the brink of despair.

The combination of this approach with the use of force ensures the long-term stability of the slave system in the Green Sparrow Tribe.

The rationale behind this was too profound and complex for the shaman to grasp immediately. Han Cheng explained it in a way the shaman could understand, clarifying the significance of his actions.

After an extended period, the shaman gradually understood Han Cheng’s intent and was deeply impressed by the Divine Child’s long-term vision and consideration of such a complex issue. Without Han Cheng’s explanation, he would never have realized that this seemingly simple act of removing the slave status from a few people significantly impacted the stability of the tribe’s future.