Slavery
Slavery on Gor is not a social footnote—it’s the spine of the civilization. John Norman built his fictional world around the idea that dominance and submission are elemental parts of human nature, and the institution of slavery on Gor reflects that philosophy. It’s both a legal and cultural norm, tightly bound to Gorean ideas of order, beauty, and power.
1. Legal Status
On Gor, slavery is fully lawful and socially accepted. A slave is property, not a person.
They have no rights, no family, no possessions, and no protection under city law.
Killing a slave is not “murder”—it’s the destruction of property, though wasteful destruction of valuable slaves might be frowned upon economically.
A person can become a slave in several ways:
Captured in war or raids (the most common method)
Punishment for crime or debt
Born to a slave mother
Voluntary submission, though this is rare and often ceremonial
Once collared, a person’s enslavement is irreversible unless manumitted (freed) by a legitimate owner or magistrate.
2. The Gorean Collar
The collar is both a physical restraint and a legal declaration. Once clasped around the neck, it signifies total ownership.
Each collar bears the name or mark of the owner and city of registration.
Removing a collar without permission is a serious crime, akin to theft. The collar also functions as a social signal—no one mistakes a slave for a free person once they wear it.
3. Male and Female Slaves
While both men (kajirus) and women (kajirae) can be enslaved, the vast majority of the books focus on female slavery, which Norman uses to explore his controversial idea of “natural order.”
Female slaves are trained in obedience, grace, and sensuality; they are expected to serve both practically and aesthetically.
Male slaves usually serve as laborers, gladiators, or bodyguards, often under harsher physical conditions but without the same eroticized dynamic seen with kajirae.
4. Ownership and Training
Owners may train their slaves personally or send them to slave houses where they learn skills—cooking, dancing, serving, language, and the precise etiquette of submission.
There are even different types of kajirae:
Tower slaves: house servants or domestic slaves
Pleasure slaves: trained for sensual or companionship service
Work slaves: laborers or field workers
The training process is psychological as much as physical. Slaves are taught that freedom belongs to those strong enough to master others—a circular morality that underpins Gorean society.
5. Markets and Economy
Slaves are bought and sold at public markets and auctions. Their price depends on beauty, skill, and rarity.
Large cities have registries that document ownership transfers and branding. A slave’s mark (usually burned or tattooed onto the thigh) is both an economic record and a symbol of belonging.
Slavery also fuels the Gorean economy. Agricultural estates, merchant fleets, and even temples rely on slave labor. There’s no moral debate about it—it’s just the way the world works.
6. Cultural Attitudes
Among the free, slavery is considered natural and even honorable. Free men see mastery as a reflection of strength; free women may despise kajirae but also fear the possibility of capture and enslavement themselves.
Ironically, many Goreans believe slavery can improve a person—disciplining them, refining them, even giving them “purpose.” This belief is part of Norman’s philosophical experiment: the idea that freedom and servitude are two sides of the same human coin.
7. The Paradox
Despite its brutality, slavery on Gor isn’t portrayed as mere cruelty—it’s a ritualized order. Norman’s narrative suggests that human hierarchy, once stripped of pretense, reveals something primal. Critics have long accused the series of misogyny and fetishism, while defenders argue it’s a symbolic exploration of power dynamics rather than an endorsement of them.
In short: slavery on Gor is both law and ideology. It’s how cities function, how relationships are structured, and how John Norman tests the boundaries of freedom, power, and identity. Whether seen as a disturbing social system or a philosophical mirror, it’s the defining institution of the Gorean world.