Economic Tool of Manipulation
The government in Mozambique used vagrancy rules in 1878 to unfairly force Black Africans to work without pay as a deliberate strategy to oppress and exploit them. In 1878, the colonial administration in Mozambique implemented a vagrancy law that criminalized the act of wandering from place to place without proof of employment or means of support. This law targeted local Black Africans, aiming to control their movement and labor. The primary purpose of this vagrancy legislation was to fix labor shortages on African plantations, a challenge that emerged after the abolition of slavery in the colonies. By enforcing the vagrancy law, the colonial authorities coerced Black Africans into the labor force, ensuring a steady supply of free workers for the plantations. This exploitation wasn't accidental; it was a calculated move to suppress and control the indigenous population. The authorities used the law to justify widespread abuse, creating a system that perpetuated hardship and kept t