liberation by oppression liberation by oppression liberation by oppression: a comparative study of slavery and psychiatry is a 2002 critique of psychiatry by the psychiatrist thomas szasz. liberation by oppression: a comparative study of slavery and psychiatry authorthomas szaszcountryunited stateslanguageenglishsubjectpsychiatrypublished2002media typeprintisbn978-0-7658-0145-6 summary szasz compares the justification of psychiatry with the justification of slavery in the united states, stating that both necessarily deny the subject's right to personhood. reception reviews on this book were published by psychiatric services, the british journal of psychiatry, ethical human sciences and services, and the independent review.