Abstract
In the 1900s, the roads across rural America were yet to be tarmacked, but cars
had begun to appear on them. This created an opportunity for roadside farmers
in remote areas. By plowing up the dirt roads at night, they could turn small
stretches into mud. This made the roads impassable the next day for the relatively
underpowered cars that were, at the time, the best that money could buy.
When cars got stuck, these ‘mud farmers’ were able to offer ‘assistance’ by
getting their mules to haul the cars out—for a hefty price. Hapless drivers
ended up having to pay something close to the value of their entire car just for
the privilege of not having to abandon it
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Palgrave Handbook of Philosophy and Public Policy |
| Editors | David Boonin |
| Place of Publication | Boulder, CO, USA |
| Publisher | Palgrave Macmillan |
| Pages | 455-468 |
| Edition | 1 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-3-319-93907-0 |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |