Monday, November 21, 2011

Test Essay - 3

Looking back on human history, the most evident and obvious achievements that have been recorded or that still exist today are the architectural feats. Whether we look at the Chinese and their Great Wall, the Egyptians and the Giza pyramids, or even to more recent European history to locations such as the Cathedral of Notre Dame, the architectural and technological displays that each dynasty leaves behind is a clear and descriptive representation of the civilization as a whole. However, taking into the account the time span in which these were made, as well as the resources and technology available to each civilization, it becomes obvious that many of these communities had to use slave labour in order to achieve their goal. Whether this is an immoral act or if it is just the natural course of a civilization, it is clear that in ancient history and in our modern day to a certain extent, slaves were required for the creation of great achievements.

The first and possibly most well known example is the Great Wall of China. Started during the Qin dynasty between 221BC and 206BC, the great wall was often dubbed the longest grave yard in the world. In the few years the Qin had worked on the wall, over 3000 slaves that ranged from criminals to peasants died on the job, lacking nutrition and proper wages. Not only would the Great Wall not have been possible without the use of slaves, considering its massive size, but the Chinese as a race may have been influenced drastically if not for the protection against the Mongol invasions that the Great Wall provided. Another prime example is the pyramids of Giza. By hiring and training thousands of skilled workmen to work full time for decades without rest would have completely drained Egypt of their resources and by pulling in tens of thousands of slaves the project was possible. The argument that now comes in is that: was the means of construction justified? Iconic civilizations such as Mayans, who had poorly paid workers to work away on pyramids, would come away with a religious site that benefitted and brought together the community at the time as well as leaving a marvel for the rest of the world and for civilizations that would follow to admire. In my opinion, although the slaves would have been treated poorly, the construction of these spectacles is a necessary part for a civilization to leave its mark on human history.

In today’s age in first world countries however, slaves are no longer needed. With the technology that has been developed over the last decades, the man power that machines such as cranes or bulldozers provide simply removes the need for much of the manual labour required in the construction of these types of architecture. Even with workers, the implementation of technology allows for proper payment and treatment. Ironically though, with the convenience of modern day technology, the aura or “wowness” factor behind the spectacles are much harder to obtain. When looking at the Stonehenge for instance, a religious monument built between 3000BC and 2000BC, the fact that a whole community collaborated for perhaps as long as centuries to create a tribute to their religion is much more fascinating than anything that has been built in recent history by the means of machinery.

The final point to make is the incentive of the rulers who forced the slaves into work as well and if their decision was justified or not. For example, the construction of the Parthenon that was built during the golden ages of Ancient Greece was heavily reliant on the usage of slaves. Pericles wanted to set the standard for architecture in the western world, as well as showcase the advancements of the Greek civilization through the building of the Parthenon and for this to happen he needed an efficient and affordable work force. Not only was he trying to create a monument to show Greek power, but the building itself was a temple dedicated to the Goddess Athena. This would have, without a doubt, been a popular decision with the higher members of not only Athens but of many city states in Greece. I think the justification of the usage of slaves is legitimate here, as its purpose was to provide a culmination of all Greek culture as well as serve a purpose to the entire community of Athens, and while many slaves died in the making, it simply could not have been done in any other way.

Slave labour now would be heavily looked down upon, but the fact is that hundreds or even thousands of years ago, these architectural feats could have been accomplished in any other way, and with much more imbalance in the social structure and discrimination towards lower classes, the usage of slaves was much more acceptable. The buildings that still stand today definitely show how much dominance that civilization would have had as well as their dedication to either the religion or icon that the community worshipped. In our current world, building a pyramid out of stone would be a difficult but definitely achievable project, but looking back thousands of years to tens of thousands of slaves who dedicated their lives to creating a monument to their king is simply unmatched in today’s culture.

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