Indentured Servants and Company Towns

Paper Summary:

Sociologically, company towns and indentured servitude are two of the most complex topics of life in historic America. Indentured servants placed their trust in others to eventually gain their freedom and a better life, while company towns existed to better the company, rather than the residents. These two forms of controlled labor created new classes in America and, sociologically, say much about a people who can keep others in bondage, no matter what the outcome. This paper examines the history of indentured servants and company towns in the United States and discusses how sociological concepts apply to these topics.

From the Paper:

"Their wages were miniscule after the company deductions, so the company kept them dependent. They could never get enough money ahead to move away, and so, their family's well being and very survival depended on their subservience to the company and its' policies. Anyone who spoke out against costs, living conditions, wages, or social conditions was simply fired and kicked out of their company house. With nowhere to go, most employees simply did not speak up or make waves. Just as with indentured servants, the company, or "master" had all the power, and the worker had little. Indentured servitude may have disappeared in the country, but savvy companies still knew how to control their workers and get the most work out of them for the smallest investment possible."

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