For some reason, chocolate barons had a thing for building model company towns for their workers. Nicola Twilley looks at Bournville, Hershey and New Earswick, all built on chocolate and possible models for today's 'eat local' movement.
Twilley writes, "The towns that chocolate built are a curious blend of idealistic vision and pragmatic company town-the convergence of paternalistic benevolence and capitalist expedience. The Cadbury and Rowntree brothers were devout Quakers, whose humanitarian beliefs undoubtedly impelled them to improve the living conditions of their workers. Hershey's benevolence seems not to have been motivated by religious belief, despite the fact that he was raised by a strict Mennonite mother."
FULL STORY: The Towns That Chocolate Built
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