The phrase "now we are slaves" sets up the dramatic tension that embraces the entire seder. On the one hand, we are proclaiming, "Thank God we are free" and we soon say "We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt...and had God not taken our ancestors out of Egypt...., we ...would still be enslaved."  Liberation happened long ago, and as good, faithful jews we still remember it. But here we say the opposite: We are still slaves! Our liberation never quite succeeded. This seder is about present and future liberation, not only that of the past. We still need to come forth from Egypt. Both of these versions of liberation are true. When seen from the viewpoint of our one-time total bondage and that of Jews and others within our memory, we indeed have every reason to be grateful. But the human condition is such that we still struggle to be free. 


haggadah Section: Maggid - Beginning
Source: Arthur Green