free worker
[friː ˈwɜːrkər]
nounpl: free workers
trabalhador livre
1. A person who works for wages or salary without being enslaved, bound by servitude, or under forced labor conditions
The factory employed free workers who were paid fair wages.
A fábrica empregava trabalhadores livres que recebiam salários justos.
2. An independent worker or freelancer who is not employed by a single employer
As a free worker, she could choose her own projects and schedule.
Como trabalhadora livre, ela podia escolher seus próprios projetos e horário.
3. Historically, a laborer who was not enslaved, particularly in colonial or post-abolition contexts
After slavery was abolished, the country transitioned to a free worker economy.
Após a abolição da escravidão, o país fez a transição para uma economia de trabalhadores livres.
In Brazilian history, the term 'trabalhador livre' is particularly significant as it refers to workers in the post-abolition era (after 1888). It contrasts with enslaved labor and represents the transition to wage-based economy. The concept is central to discussions of Brazilian labor history and social mobility. In the United States, the term is historically important in discussions of free vs. slave labor economies, particularly in the context of 19th-century industrial development.
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