Who Owns Children?

Abstract

‘“Look Emma”, the man said, as he rose and came over in a threatening manner. “You belong to us now, so shut yer row and be quiet”’ (Smith, 1954, p. 27). Emma Smith was born in England at the turn of this century and was illegitimate. When she was six she was sold to a hurdy-gurdy man, who overworked and abused her in a number of ways. From the 1860s in the USA the padrone system sent children from poor regions in Italy to the USA in return for payments to their parents. In exchange, the padrone kept the children’s earnings. The children usually were made to work as street musicians, often with organ grinders, and were not uncommonly sold to other owners. Later, a similar system operated which dealt in Irish and Chinese children (Gordon, 1989, p. 40).