Which wage practice did the Hooper camp use to reduce workers' pay?

Which wage practice did the Hooper camp use to reduce workers' pay?

• A. Slashing wages in half from five cents to two-and-a-half cents.
• B. Migrants forced to buy food at inflated prices at Hooper store.
• C. Pay in cash.
• D. Providing free housing.

Answer: (A)

Direct wage manipulation is what's being tested. The Hooper camp reduced workers’ earnings by cutting the wage rate in half—from five cents to two-and-a-half cents—so the same work yielded much less money. This shows an explicit strategy to suppress pay for the labor performed. While other practices, like overpriced store goods, can lower take-home income, they do so indirectly and aren’t the wage rate itself. Pay in cash is normal, and free housing is a benefit, not a wage cut.

Direct wage manipulation is what's being tested. The Hooper camp reduced workers’ earnings by cutting the wage rate in half—from five cents to two-and-a-half cents—so the same work yielded much less money. This shows an explicit strategy to suppress pay for the labor performed. While other practices, like overpriced store goods, can lower take-home income, they do so indirectly and aren’t the wage rate itself. Pay in cash is normal, and free housing is a benefit, not a wage cut.