and no angry/noisy apes
How many times do I have to say that we're not a problem, but an asset? We're advanced enough to mine and refine metal, and then deliver it to our orbit, but we're not advanced enough to be much of a threat. And if there's one thing humans know how to do, it's kneeling before those stronger than us (our entire history proves this quite well). There wouldn't be much of a conquest, they'd just need to make examples of a couple of cities.
And free labour is cheaper than doing something yourself, however you look at it.
Actually our entire history proves that what you are proposing (violent suppression of Humans) never works out in the long term.
So you think feudalism is just a conspiracy theory?
It didn't last, did it?
It did well enough for a time. And it still exists as a political, if not an economic system.
If by 'it did well enough for a time' you mean 'it did fine when there weren't any viable alternitives' then yes.
It collapsed pretty impressively as civilisation wandered around though, didn't it.
I think emphasis is more on long-term here.
I think humanity would have too many insurrections to be useful slaves. Not to mention if they have technology to come here they would have technology that would be cheaper, faster and more efficient than slavery.
Actually, I can't think of a single case where the indentured people successfully overthrew their oppressors on their own.
Roman slavery - ended by barbarians, not slave revolt
Feudalism - ended by bourgeoisie and monarchs (to weaken the nobility), not serfs
Slavery in USA - ended by North, not blacks
(arguably) communism - ended by economic meltdown, not popular revolt
I'm sure you could dig out some minor case of a successful peasant or slave rebellion, but overwhelming majority of them were failures.
And slavery has lasted much, much longer than our modern freedom.
So it has, but you know what, hunter-gatherer tribal systems have lasted much, much longer than slavery, maybe they're a viable method of governing?
Yes, slave rebellions never seem to work out by the slaves on their own, but that's the thing, the slaves are
never on their own. Even if they are just seen as tools to be wielded against one's enemies, eventually
somone will realise that there are over six billion angry sapiants who would quite happily fuck shit up if somone just dropped a few fancy tanks into their laps...
A rather poignant example to look at is the British colonisation; In Africa, the British enslaved the natives. In India, the British assimilated the natives.
Africa is all fucked up. India is an economic explosion. Strange that.