SLAVE MENTALITY AND INSTITUTIONAL EXPLOITATION: UNMASKING THE POLITICS OF SUBSERVIENCE AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC POWER ABUSE

Abstract

This paper explores the concept of slave mentality and its intersections with institutional exploitation and socio-economic power abuse. Slave mentality refers to the psychological and cultural internalization of subservience, where individuals or groups accept domination as natural and often seek validation by pleasing those in power. This phenomenon, rooted in colonial legacies, authoritarian structures, and patron-client politics, has persisted across centuries, shaping both governance and social relations. Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship in philosophy, sociology, political science, and postcolonial studies, the paper investigates how institutional frameworks, whether governmental, bureaucratic, or corporatesustain cycles of dependency and inequality. The analysis situates slave mentality as both a cultural disposition and a structural outcome, arguing that power asymmetries are maintained not solely through coercion but also through the consent and complicity of the dominated. The paper also highlights the long-term socio-economic implications of subservience, including corruption, lack of accountability, and the suppression of critical thought. By unmasking the politics of subservience, the study offers pathways toward empowerment through education, civic awareness, and institutional reform.