Wednesday, September 30, 2009

The Company Store




In the antebellum South, former slaves, lacking funds to purchase land, were often forced to return to their former masters in search of employment. This marked the beginning of sharecropping. Former slaves were required to produce a certain amount of crop; the rest they could keep themselves (however the demanded output was often higher than feasible putting the sharecroppers in spiralling debt). The former slaves were required to purchase seed, sow, and all farming equipment from the white landowner at prices marked up 100 to 300 percent - a process that came to be called "The Company Store."

Here in Shimbwe, we have our own rather mild form of the Company Store. Adolf (not even joking ... real name), the owner of our house, runs the most luxurious bar in town (i.e. it has a second floor). Beneath the bar, he runs a store that sells beverages, rice, beans, soap, and other odds and ends. Further from the main road and closer to our house, Adolf owns yet another store named London. The proximity and stock of his stores make frequenting them logical and easy. However, we often feel a pang of guilt for consistently patronizing stores owned by our realtor rather than spreading the wealth. Luckily, our company store doesn't jack up the price.

-Posted by Sam




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