THOMAS agrees [with Aristotle] that the status of women is much higher than the status of slaves. In the Summa Theologiae he writes:

A wife, though she is something belonging to the husband, since she stands related to him as to her own body, as the Apostle declares (Eph. 5:28), is nevertheless more distinct from her husband, than a son from his father or a slave from his master: for she is received into a kind of social life, that of matrimony, wherefore according to the Philosopher (Ethics V.6) there is more scope for justice between husband and wife than between father and son, or master and slave" (II-II, q.57, a.5, co.).

When it comes to natural slavery, there is a common interest between a master and his slave. In his Commentary on the Politics, Thomas writes:

In the Summa Theologiae, Thomas makes use of Aristotle’s distinction of two kinds of servitude or two kinds of subjection when he discusses the relationship between men and women:

THOMAS makes similar comments when he discusses the rights of nations:

Therefore, all human beings who differ from others as much as the soul does from the body, and as human beings do from irrational animals, are, because of the eminence of reason in them and the deficiency in others, by nature masters of the others. In this regard, Solomon also says in Proverbs 11:29: ‘The stupid will serve the wise.’ (Commentary 1.3.10).

[ARISTOTLE] Having outlined his position on natural slavery in the Politics, Aristotle writes: "Others affirm that the rule of a master over slaves is contrary to nature, and that the distinction between slave and free man exists by law only, and not by nature; and being an interference with nature is therefore unjust" (1253b20-2). He admits that those who hold this opposite opinion from his "have in a certain way right on their side" (1255a4). He then cites the convention that the victors of a war may take the vanquished as slaves. He points out that some people identify justice with goodwill and "detest the notion that, because one man has the power of doing violence and is superior in brute strength, another shall be his slave and subject" (1255a9-10). He points out that other people identify justice with the "mere rule of the stronger" and believe that "superior power is only found where there is superior excellence of some kind" (1255a14). ...Aristotle goes on to write that men "should seek to be masters only over those who deserve to be slaves" (1334a3). Here he does not define who exactly deserves to be enslaved.

Thomas makes ...  negative statements about slavery in his work entitled The Religious State, the Episcopate, and the Priestly Office. He writes:

"Nothing is so repugnant to human nature as slavery; and, therefore, there is no greater sacrifice (except that of life), which one man can make for another, than to give himself up to bondage for the sake of that other" (Chapter 10, p45).

He goes on to say:

in his work entitled The Religious State, the Episcopate, and the Priestly Office. In the following section, Thomas explains the nature of making a vow:

We must remember, however, that a man may deprive himself of liberty either absolutely (simpliciter) or relatively (secundum quid). If he bind himself, either to God or man, to perform some specific work for some allotted time, he renounces his freedom, not absolutely but partially, i.e., with regard to the particular matter, about which he has laid himself under an obligation. If, however, he place himself entirely at the disposal of another, reserving to himself no liberty whatsoever, he makes himself a slave absolutely, and thereby absolutely alters his condition. Thus, if a person make a vow to God to perform some specified work, such as a pilgrimage or a fast, he does not change his condition entirely, but only partially, i.e., with regard to that particular work which he vows to accomplish" (Chapter 15, p85).

This Webpage was created for a workshop held at Saint Andrew's Abbey, Valyermo, California in 1995....x....  ’ “”.