"Experience" isn't really a form of payment anyhow.

But it is, or interns would be paid in full.

As they should be. Interns are regularly given work that should be given to paid employees and many businesses now see internships as free labor. How many fields of employment would you work for free just for experience? And then to still be paid as a newly graduated hire because 'internship isnt a real job or experience'.

Getting over on someone seems more and more prevalent these days. I swear businesses weren't as bad about these things in the 80's and 90's,maybe it's rose-colored glasses and all that jazz.

You’re right interns are often given work that should be paid.

But not all of it need be paid. If I take an intern along to a job that I could’ve done in the same time alone, but I let the intern do the work and supervise them on how to do it, that needn’t be paid because the intern is not providing value, they are just getting training.

Slaves didn't get paid either, that doesn't mean the work they did was worth the experience they gained. Don't try to extract morality from the status quo. That literally sets your goal to "nowhere."