Slavery? Not exactly.

[Bruce Alan Wilson]

No: HPFGUIDX 151585

Bboymin:
"Slaves are kidnapped and forced into service against their will.  They are
prisoners who either work or die; though usually it's both."

BAW:

Those taken from Africa directly yes.  But in the second generation or beyond
(those born into slavery, and perhaps those whose parents and even grandparents
were slaveborn)--not so much.  I have read accounts of close affection between
slaveowners and slaves, and of slaves who were fiercely loyal and protective of
their owners.  I've even heard of white and black families in the deep south
today who still consider themselves mutually bound by ties dating back before
emancipation.  Of course, this does not justify the 'peculiar institution'; but
it does show that matters were a little more complicated.

To bring this back to HP, we don't know if the need that House Elves have to
serve human wizards is innate or imposed, but it is real.  Most House Elves seem
happy--Dobby is an exception.  Winkey was appalled at the idea of being set
'free'.  Granted, that some wizards exploit this need and use it to mistreat
their House Elves--but I think that we may take it that most do not.

In short, human-on-human slavery is not a good analogy for human-on-elf slavery
in the Potterverse, any more than human-on-(say)dog 'slavery'.  The relationship
comes somewhere in between.