Did you know that in the US at the beginning of the last century, many miners weren't paid in cash? Instead, they were paid in company scrip – tokens which were only redeemable in stores owned by the company. This made the companies hugely wealthy, while immiserating the workers. This study by a former coalminer looks at its history in one Kentucky county, telling its story, and the story of the miners who fought against it and eventually achieved its abolition. Available with global shipping in our online store: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/products/scrip-how-the-coal-companies-impoverished-harlan-county-charles-edward-thomas
Loading...
