Matewan

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Matewan

The citizens of Matewan, a coal -mining town in West Virginia lived amidst a feudalistic class process. One may think of medieval times in connection with feudalism, but the film “Matewan” directed by John Sayles was based on historical events that took place in 1920. The feudal lord was not a European king, and the serfs were not farming his land. Nevertheless, feudalism existed in this southern town, as the workers did not have the ability to choose their employer. Unlike Capitalism, the members of Matewan could not go out into the free labor market and choose the businesses for which they wished to work. The Stone Mountain Coal Company made choice nonexistent and in doing so gained feudal power over the employees.

The coal company, which acted as the feudal lord in Matewan, is not only the sole employer in the town, they also owned all the additional properties including stores, hotels, restaurants and the other components that assemble this southern community. In addition, the company owns the boarding house run by Elma Radnor, played by Mary McDonnell. Her husband was killed in a mining accident, and now her fourteen-year-old son, Danny, works for Stone Mountain. The Company hired Bill Hickey and Tom Griggs, two intimidators from Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency. They came to Matewan to investigate rumors about a union being formed. When the two men came to stay at the boarding house as “guests of the coal company,” they discovered that Ms. Radnor had rented a room to Joe Kenehan; the ex-Wobbly sent to organize the union. They proceeded to threaten her, saying that the company owned the house and they were to be guests there. “Don’t think that the company won’t hear about this,” they affi...

... middle of paper ...

...d therefore not slaves. However, there was not a free labor market in which the workers could choose which business that they wished to work for. They had no choice but to work under the feudalistic class process controlled by the Stone Mountain Coal Company.

Works Cited

Elliot, Deborah and Frieden, James. Heritage Topics 2000. <http:www.teachwithmovies.org/guides/matewan.html>

Gray, Martin. “Buried Cities And Lost Tribes: A Cyberspace Guide.” Mesa Community College. 1996. <http:www.mc.Maricopa.edu/academic_sci/anthro/lost_tribes/Feudalism.html>

Kempley, Rita. “Matewan.” The Washington Post 16 October. 1987. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- srv/style/longter…/matewanpg13kempley_a0ca46.html>.

Kreis, Steven. The History Guide. 2000. <http:www.pagesz.net/~stevek/ancient/lecture21b.html>

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