Khanid Kingdom strenuously denies ill treatment of slaves
There has been a considerable political backlash in the wake of the news that the Khanid Kingdom and the Ishukone Corporation signed a trade deal for Transcranial Microcontrollers. Many humanitarian organizations have claimed the microchips will be used on slaves to suppress their thoughts and will, effectively 'de-humanizing' them. These claims have reached such a popular appeal, being constantly fed by the media, that the Gallente Federation and the Minmatar Republic have also joined in denouncing the deal as being inhumane.
The Khanid Kingdom has from the start vigorously defended their actions and now, in an attempt to strengthen their side of the story, it has decided to reveal further information into what the Transcranial Microcontrollers will be used for. The Kingdom, or Dark Amarr as it is better known as, has always been a strange mismatch of old Amarrian traditions coupled with brand new theories in technology and economics, creating a society that may seem decidedly schizophrenic to the untrained eye. As in the Amarr Empire, slavery has always played a large role in the economical and social life of the Kingdom. Yet in recent years the Dark Amarrians have become increasingly frustrated by the lack of economical benefits provided by slavery in a modern world. The cost for raring, supervising and guarding slaves is only marginally lower than the productivity of the slave, especially when one bears in mind that the productivity is already hampered by the slaves being resentful, inexperienced and, frequently, unhealthy.
The Transcranial Microcontrollers will change all that. Following the age-old mantra that a 'happy worker is a good worker', slaves implanted with the chip will feel happy and content, with no rebellious or ill feelings towards their supervisors. The Transcranial Microcontroller can be programmed in such a way as to create an illusionary existence for the implantee, making him believe he lives quite an ordinary life, with a family, home and freedom. Every night, the mind is re-programmed anew, effectively allowing the slave to constantly re-live the same day, though without him realizing this.
Early studies by economists indicate that the productivity of slaves with the implant is up to 120% greater than of other slaves. Furthermore, tests by medical doctors and psychologists show that slaves with the implant have significantly reduced stress levels and psychological disorders compared to other slaves, and even to 'ordinary' people. Dark Amarr officials do not deny that they were mainly driven by economical factors in making this step, but any suggestions that they are treating their slaves badly they counter by asking: People can rave all they want about free will, but do they really want to take a slave from the happy life he now leads and throw him back into the squalor and misery of his old existence just to prove they're right on some utopian altruistic level that has no basis in reality?
