Гроздья гнева

           Thencropfailure,drought,andfloodwerenolongerlittledeathswithinlife,butsimplelossesofmoney.Andalltheirlovewasthinnedwithmoney,andalltheirfiercenessdribbledawayininterestuntiltheywerenolongerfarmersatall,butlittleshopkeepersofcrops,littlemanufacturerswhomustsellbeforetheycanmake.Thenthosefarmerswhowerenotgoodshopkeeperslosttheirlandtogoodshopkeepers.Nomatterhowclever,howlovingamanmightbewithearthandgrowingthings,hecouldnotsurviveifhewerenotalsoagoodshopkeeper.Andastimewenton,thebusinessmenhadthefarms,andthefarmsgrewlarger,buttherewerefewerofthem.

           Nowfarmingbecameindustry,andtheownersfollowedRome,althoughtheydidnotknowit.Theyimportedslaves,althoughtheydidnotcallthemslaves:Chinese,Japanese,Mexicans,Filipinos.Theyliveonriceandbeans,thebusinessmensaid.Theydon’tneedmuch.Theywouldn’tknowwhattodowithgoodwages.Why,lookhowtheylive.Why,lookwhattheyeat.Andiftheygetfunny—deportthem.

           Andallthetimethefarmsgrewlargerandtheownersfewer.Andtherewerepitifullyfewfarmersonthelandanymore.Andtheimportedserfswerebeatenandfrightenedandstarveduntilsomewenthomeagain,andsomegrewfierceandwerekilledordrivenfromthecountry.Andthefarmsgrewlargerandtheownersfewer.

           Andthecropschanged.Fruittreestooktheplaceofgrainfields,andvegetablestofeedtheworldspreadoutonthebottoms:lettuce,cauliflower,artichokes,potatoes—stoopcrops.