How would the world today be different if there had never been slavery?

For nearly two hundred years, the developed world has seen slavery as degrading and immoral. In the past though, many of the tasks we use technology to perform were performed by slaves. Slaves would keep the fires burning in winter, harvest crops in the spring, and keep their master’s house and clothes clean.

If there had been no slaves to perform these tasks, and everyone had to do them for themselves, the well to do would have had much less time for politics, art, philosophy etc.

I am not for a moment advocating slavery, but I would like to hear your thoughts – would we be in the same position we are today without the slave trade of the past?

For the sake of the exercise, I’ll allow servants providing they are well paid and possess freedom and land.