I hope you don't think I am trying to punish anyone trying to do something the right way with my suggestion, because that wasn't my intention at all.
The way I have heard it over the years, and I want to state that this is all second hand as I tend to ignore slaves in game all together because I personally don't want to get involved in a story that its easily solved by easily metagamed information, is that the vast majority take it for the perks. I don't mean everyone, and there are always going to be anecdotal accounts that comes along and contradicts a statement like that, but I mean 80%+.
Now if it's not that bad in reality, I have an open mind to that. I just hope those that think it isn't that bad are also looking outside their own personal experiences. But if it is that bad, it's not "punishing the many for the actions of the few", its removing something that is overwhelmingly abused at the cost of the handful of people's opportunity to play that niche thing. I realize that may still sound like punishment to some, but I see it as sacrificing something for the greater good personally.
There are also alternative solutions that would include less eliminating but involve more policing, like apping to continue your slave character post freedom, ect., but I know how unpopular that sort of thing is.
Anyways, I just wanted to clarify that nothing I say is intended to punish anyone. There are certain things that come up year after year, things that I see potential solutions for, and I can't help but offer said solutions to try and break the endless loop despite knowing by this point that it's probably not going to change anything. We all have our flaws I suppose, and that's one of mine.