Labor and Work in the U.S. Before the End of Reconstruction

Midterm Exam
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Midterm Exams
Green Question 2
Many factors contribute to the unsafe working conditions and exploitation of miners, including economic, political, and social factors. A major issue is that many mining companies prioritize profits over the safety and well-being of their workers. They may cut corners on safety measures, ignore safety regulations, or fail to provide adequate training and equipment to their workers. This is often exacerbated in countries with weak labor laws and enforcement mechanisms. In such scenarios, mine operators are not required to put in place measures that guarantee the safety of the workers and tend to direct their effort toward meeting production safety and reducing costs. With a lax operating environment, it is easy for mining companies to cut corners in various unscrupulous ways.
Another issue is the prevalence of poverty and lack of opportunities in many mining communities, which can lead families to rely on child labor to survive. Even when laws exist to prohibit child labor, they may not be enforced, and families may be willing to risk their children's safety to make ends meet. In many cases, child labor in mining is seen as a way for families to earn money quickly, as the work can be dangerous and demanding, and may require little education or training. Children may be employed to perform tasks such as carrying heavy loads, sorting, and washing minerals, and working in underground tunnels.
Additionally, poverty can contribute to a lack of access to education and other opportunities, which can limit the options available to children and their families. Without access to education or other forms of skill-building, children may be more likely to end up in dangerous and exploitative work, including in the mining sector.
Blue Question 5
The idea that we should simply leave history in the past and not make any attempts to pay reparations is flawed for several reasons. First, the effects of historical injustices like slavery and colonialism continue to shape our societies and create ongoing inequalities. These legacies can be seen in disparities in wealth, education, and access to opportunities, among other areas. The injustices are not only evident in America, but also in the African countries where the slaves originated owing to the loss of healthy and productive citizens experienced by the slaves’ countries of origin (Davidson, 1964).
Second, reparations can be an important way to acknowledge and address past wrongs and to provide a measure of justice for those who have been harmed. This can help to promote healing and reconciliation and to build a more equitable society. Swarns (2016) observes that the use of financial reparations is the first step th...