ABSTRACT
The diminution of forced labour for private employers has been traced, and this system may be considered to be discredited and moribund; there remains a very considerable amount of forced labour for government purposes, and the circumstances attending this will merit investigation. Advancing civilization brought to light various disadvantages from the utilitarian point of view, while a growing body of opinion considered all forced labour morally indefensible. The African governments, however, claimed the right to make use of compulsion in emergency, or for urgent work for the benefit of the community, the definition of the latter presenting considerable difficulty. Forced labour is probably in the great majority of instances intensely unpopular with all administrative officers. Coercion in a district must have a most disturbing effect upon the local labour market; the usual flow of volunteers seeking work will be hindered, while there may be an exodus of men wishing to avoid liability.
