Monopolies and the People

"Monopolies and the People" by D. C. Cloud is an analysis of how big business and single-company control impacts freedom and people’s rights, probably around the end of the 1800s. The book looks at the history of giving land and money to railroad companies, suggesting that these laws have led to using up natural resources and mistreating regular people. The writer wants to make people understand how dangerous it is when companies have too much influence over the government and everyday life. It starts by looking at how these monopolies, especially railroads, have hurt how the United States is governed. D. C. Cloud points out that these monopolies have become very strong, working with the government to benefit themselves instead of the citizens. Land given to companies and laws that should have helped development have instead created a special group that gets rich by mistreating workers. The writer stresses that people need to work together to get their rights back and fight these unfair systems that are now part of the laws.