Of course the difference between an employee and a slave is that the employee always has the choice of looking for another job, or in fact saying goodbye to the entire Federation and going to live on an independent world. This is not a minor detail.
Have a look at Empire territory. It's *completely* red, they take everything.
Take a look at Fed territory. It's always interwoven with independent systems who've been allowed to keep their independence and make their own decisions.
If I have a choice, I choose having a choice. All empire citizens are slaves, some of them just don't know it.
Typical Federal poppycock!
Federal employers can also dismiss their workers at a whim and condemn them to poverty and despair. This is not so with an Imperial slave; an owner has a duty of care towards their workers. The relationship between master and slave is solid and secure, not arbitrary and uncaring like in the Federation. Your understanding of freedom is coloured by the delusion of empty choices propagated by shameless corporate greed and false social standing.
As for the tight collection of Imperial systems; there is very little discord within our society. People know their place and are mostly content. Citizens are free to move to other systems if they want but why would they? The Federal systems are peppered throughout human space because there is always rebellion and revolt from the authoritarian yoke of Federal control.
The Federal masses are the true victims of exploitation in our galaxy, living with a marketed illusion of choice and freedom when, in reality, they are caged like fowl in battery farming.
