Unfree labor in Chile? Migrants between racism, violence and dependence

Abstract

The abolition of slavery in the Americas in the 19th century was understood as a “moral” and “civilizing” transforma-tion of the nascent republics. Critical historiography shows that it was an economic mechanism that contributed to the accumulation of capital, which clandestinely maintained modalities of transat-lantic traffic until the 20th century. Elements of work without freedom can be found today in the labor routes of migrants in Chile. Using qualitative methodologies, we show how the work of migrants is tied to obtaining and keeping “identity papers” and to the racialization of their labor relations. We conclude that unfree labor for migrants is defined by dependence, violence and racism.