A system of serfdom or slavery; the practice or condition of treating people as helots.
From 'helot' + '-ism' (system or practice). Developed as historians and social theorists analyzed oppressive labor systems across civilizations.
Helotism as a concept helps scholars recognize that oppressive systems aren't accidents—they're structured and sustained by law and ideology, making modern discussions of systemic inequality direct echoes of ancient Greek philosophical debates about justice and freedom.
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