Even though the term was used to describe both the European system and the African system, they were fundamentally different. So much so that it gives a false impression to describe the African system as slavery, especially as that word is so much associated with the European system of murder, torture, white supremacy/black inferiority and lack of self determination.

The African system of servitude was not along race lines but served a functional system that did not wholly denigrade or limit how high a person could rise in life. In fact, those with the ability who started off in servitude often rose to very high positions, with a lot of responsility.

A person who owed a debt might have to serve the debtor for until he had repaid that debt. This served to maintain a stable social structure in African societies. The European system which has causes so much destruction and chaos world wide can never be sensibly labeles as even being close to the African practise of servitude. The implications of Christian and Arab slavetraders has very disastrous effects on Afrikan societies and the effects can be highlighted today very clearly.