Question 1: What did the coal town look like?
The coal town was built for the miners to live in. Besides, the coal towns were always unincorporated since there were no elected officials. The coal town lacked independent police forces but private detective agencies were hired by the owners to supervise the employees. The company towns were not tethered from the free market competition since they were tethered by the owners.
Question 2: What was life like in the company town?
In the coal town, the miners and their families were forced to live in the company-owned towns where the coal operators exerted total control over their lives. In the coal towns, there were several good things, such as good churched and schools. However, the most important thing that the coal operators ignored was freedom. However, despite decades of struggle, the coal miners' goal of union and the elimination of the mine guard system remained unmet.
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Question 3: What specific measures or systems did the owners put in place to control the lives of their workers and make sure that they made profits from owning the mines?
They set al the prices of goods to achieve a profit. Hence, when the workers got a pay rise, they would raise everything ranging from rent, food, and clothing. Partly due to industrialization and geographical isolation, the coal companies and their owners were able to operate with authority over the communities where they owned the mineral rights. Most towns owned their interests to corporate interests since the companies were the most visible authority in the area. Besides, there was barely a government presence. The local police were the private hires that were employed by a notorious detective agency. Therefore, it was clear that there was no state or local governments to regulate the practices of the companies.
Question 4: how did the system of company-owned “coal towns” limit the freedoms of the mining families who lived and worked there?
The West Virginia coal operators built small, company-owned towns for their miners to live in. The coal towns were almost always not incorporated. Besides, the towns lacked elected officials and no independent police forces. Also, the coal town owners hired private detective agencies to watch over the employees. On the other hand, the company towns were not tethered, especially from the free market competition where the owners were championed.
Question 5: How did the coal companies try to keep groups apart thus creating segregation within the coal towns?
The workers were made to shop at the company stores. Besides, they were not allowed to have children working anymore. The owners of the coal town had already established itself as a very strong union in the nation. Besides, the workers were required to work to afford food. So the company made the employees' purchase items from its store.
Part 2: Response to a Quite from the film
NARRATOR: “Company towns were... untethered from free-market competition…[Owners] set the prices of all goods to assure a profit – a hedge against operating losses in the mines themselves.”
From the above quote, it is evident that the company towns were considered as economic institutions, which was considered to be part of the labour market. In these towns, there was only one company that provided workers with goods and services. Besides, they also hired the police to dispense justice to the miners and their families. The property rights were defined in a manner that firms could focus on eliminating competition by other companies that wished to provide goods and services to their employees.
The prevalence of the company towns was similar to regional settlements where coal was mined. The relationship between employees and company owners was contentious and led to several complaints because of the dangerous working conditions. At various times, the prices charged by the mining firms or the revenue earned from the sale of goods and services was excessive.
The company owners forced the employees and families to shop exclusively from the company store. Besides, the company stores were stocked with food, fuel, and clothing, coupled with the tools that were required for the jobs. The owners set prices for all the goods and services to gain profit. Also, there was a need to hedge against operating losses in the coal mines themselves.
