It does however mean that the Wizarding World has created a race of creatures that are okay with living in slavery.
It means it has a race of creatures with values and norms dramatically different than that of viewpoint characters, and by extension, the readers'. Those values and norms exist in conflict, and wizards have taken it upon themselves in hubris to
interpret the relationship between themselves and elves as one of master and slave. Much as wizards interpret
every relationship between themselves and sapient magical creature. Which is why the books frame wizards as generally being in the wrong for attempting to impose their own values and norms on every other magical creature, to differing but usually negative outcomes.
The challenge is for readers to look beyond
their own worldview, and consider others' worldviews on their own terms rather that expect the other to simply conform. The latter is no less hubristic and imperialist than alternatives, however benevolently it may be framed. Which is why Hermione's efforts were particularly offensive to them.
We'll get to the Imperius curse in a sec.
I don't remember this. Where did you get that from?
It's in the stuff about Winky and Dobby working in the Hogwarts kitchen, specifically when Dobby was talking about his wages and negotiating Dumbledore down if I remember correctly. Because house elves had no existential need for commerce on account of their magic, and therefore payment as such held no extrinsic or intrinsic value; it did for Dobby, because of its symbolic value as gratuity.
Which, about the Imperius curse. It's interesting you brought this up, at this particular point and in this particular context; Crouch Sr's use of it was what led to Winky being disowned by him. And Winky, more than any other character in this, is -- or rather,
would be -- a message about the perils of internalized oppression, were we to do anything but throw out the baby with the bathwater to salve our own self-righteousness, and parse these texts in any context other than "Wizard Book Lady bad!".
Really? I thought Kreacher was surly or hateful towards the main trio right up until Harry gave him Regulus' old locket, at which point he was respectful towards all of them (and they towards him), without any special preference towards Hermione.
He was still a grouchy old fart of an elf, but he still noticeably softened towards Hermione in OotP and HBP.
The fact the best defense is the implicitly claim only white liberals read it as slavery when they absolutely are not the only ones even among potter fans only shows how shallow and kneejerky these defenses are.
I'm not implicitly claiming a damn thing. I'm quite
explicitly claiming white liberals deliberately read it in the most superficial, comforting, and bias-confirming, context possible to indulge a pathological need for self-righteous indignation, and poison the well against any deeper analysis that could prove not just inconvenient, but indicting to their own worldview.