Questions ?

1. What happened if the value of a fisherman’s catch was more than the amount of debt incurred?
2. What factors acted to lower the assigned value of a season’s catch?
3. Why did some fishermen still use credit when they had enough cash on hand?
4. What factors helped to put an end to the truck system?

Things to Think About

1. Who do you feel gained most from the truck system? Why?
2. Governments discouraged the truck system through new laws. Do you feel that governments should become involved when it appears that people are being exploited? Discuss.
3. The truck system left many families in a constant cycle of poverty. Do people in modern society still find themselves trapped in long–term poverty? If yes, what do you see as root causes?