Small businessmen, such as Archie was at the beginning of the book, are often idolized in our society. Americans are much more ambivalent about "big business," often seeing large businesses as both important (source of jobs) but predatory and overly powerful. From the point of view of a worker (such as Mollie), which do you think is preferable to have as your employer? Whatever answer you give, state your reasons. If this discussion goes well, before the week is over we should have some good "arguments" on the discussion board on this question.
Universal was lured to Mississippi with the promise of cheap labor and a non-unionized workforce. But Simpson County Mississippi also passed a $41 million bond issue to build the company a factory to operate in, and another $200,000 bond to cover infrastructure costs such as road, sewer, etc. improvements for the new factory. Subsidies to companies like this started in the southern states in the 1960s, but eventually spread throughout the country. And they have gotten bigger and bigger; recently Alabama spent over $200,000 per job to lure an auto factory to the state. From the point of view of a worker, how do you evaluate such subsidies? Are they nothing but "corporate welfare," giving public money to undeserving rich corporations? Or, are they wise investments, partnering with the private sector for greater prosperity for all? Discuss, going over both arguments and counter-arguments.
Martin Luther King believed in unions. He argued that economic advancement for blacks was crucial for the emancipation of African-Americans, and that unions provided a more just and democratic society. Some criticized him for doing so, arguing that he should "stick to his own issue only" and not ally his civil rights movement with the cause of labor. Discuss these two points of view. Which do you agree with more? Use facts from the video and from the reading to back up your viewpoint.