what is the closest comparator nation to the United States, slavery-wise?

Most of the mega cities that have popped up in the Mid East the last decade or so have been built on slave labor. Dubai is a prime example.

Since slavery is illegal almost everywhere, including the United States, I guess you could compare almost any country with us.

What relevance does slavery have in 2013 America?

Very few in terms of numbers. But SPQR comes to mind.

You can look at nations in Africa where it is still true today.

The entire British colonial empire in the Caribbean, until 1834.

However, there is no comparison. While slavery is wholly abhorrent, the US "version" was the most benign example of "modern" slavery. It was the only example where the slave population actually INCREASED by natural increase after importation was outlawed.

Maybe Russia if you're counting serfs as slaves. Those were all native Russians, not Africans, but they were tied to the land and were dirt poor. Both countries ended their systems around the same time though I believe Russia was a few years earlier.

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Maybe Russia if you're counting serfs as slaves. Those were all native Russians, not Africans, but they were tied to the land and were dirt poor. Both countries ended their systems around the same time though I believe Russia was a few years earlier

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Peter Kolchin did a comparative history of this.

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Since slavery is illegal almost everywhere, including the United States, I guess you could compare almost any country with us.

What relevance does slavery have in 2013 America?

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Reading is fundamental.

But in your case why bother.

I assume you are referring to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade which lasted from roughly 1600-1800?

Going from memory, Portugal was the biggest importer of African slaves. Several other nations were wayyyyy ahead of America in terms of # of African slaves imported.

Present day America was wayyyy down there on the list as to number of African slaves.

The key word to focus on is 'TRADE'. It was a slave 'trade' rather than a slave raid.

The white Euros didn't dare go into the interior of Africa hunting 'slaves', they would have stuck out like sore tumbs and would have been slaughtered.

Enterprising African chieftains, mercenaries... traded with the slavers, often for beads, rum, dye's, silver & gold, guns and ammo....

Yeah but Phil Robertson never saw any of that