You're amazing (Bonus chapter)

"No, there's no need for that much trouble. We can directly lobby a state legislature to obtain the management rights for a specific prison through them.

This way, we can also save the money required to build a prison, which is no small expense.

Then, we only need to build a factory next to the prison. If the prison grounds are large enough, we might even only need to buy some production machinery to set up production."

Devik Morgan: "Haha, that is indeed a good way. At least we won't have to keep sharing money with the original prison administrators. It directly removes a profit-sharing link, and the kind that requires annual payments at that."

As Wang Xiuyuan poked through this paper-thin barrier, the thinking of these Second-generation rich kids opened up smoothly, and they already began planning how to arrange the lobbying of various state legislatures.

This family had such solid relationships with big shots in New York State and Washington D.C.; that family had such ironclad connections with power players in Montana and New Jersey.

Even if some states didn't have very powerful connections, they could find figures holding real power through relatives and friends. In short, in their words, there was no place they couldn't handle.

These people really weren't bragging. Rockefeller, Morgan, Roosevelt, DuPont, Delano, Koch, Vanderbilt, Astor, Mars—which of these surnames wasn't a prominent, illustrious family in America?

These local connections were just the tip of the iceberg.

Wang Xiuyuan clapped his hands, immediately drawing everyone's attention.

"I believe you have more experience than I do regarding how to get management rights for all the prisons in America. After all, the families behind you have already operated this way countless times. I'll leave those subsequent issues to you to handle.

Now, what we need to talk about next is a question you didn't mention just now: personnel wages. How much should we pay these prisoners?"

Reeves Astor said without hesitation, "Is there even a need to think about it? At most, pay these prisoners half of the local wage. They're prisoners anyway; people outside won't say anything!"

Salmer Koch sneered, "Half of the normal local wage? Your Astor Family is truly a bunch of great philanthropists who run hotels and real estate.

If it were me, I'd give one-third at most. No, only twenty percent is reasonable."

At this time, Locke Vanderbilt spoke up:

"Salmer, where do you get the nerve to mock the Astor Family for being philanthropists? I think you people in the Koch Family are also quite kind-hearted.

If you ask me, don't give them a single cent in wages. They are just a bunch of wicked prisoners, prisoners who were sentenced to prison for breaking the law.

Back when my Vanderbilt Family ancestors were building railroads on the North American continent, they had a large group of prisoners under them. We never paid a prisoner even a single cent in wages.

It's enough if these prisoners can eat their fill. If a prisoner dies of exhaustion, just throw them under the sleepers and bury them."

After everyone had their say, it turned out that Locke Vanderbilt had the blackest heart. No one expected that this family's little trick for getting rich back then would be passed down so completely to their descendants.

Truly worthy of being the Railroad King and the family of the former richest man in America; the way their hearts were black was carved from the same damn mold.

Seeing these people getting more and more outrageous, Wang Xiuyuan finally couldn't help but interrupt them. If he let them continue, they might actually make these poor prisoners work eighteen hours a day on an empty stomach.

"You guys should stop talking. Not a single one of you is a kind person.

These people are prisoners, our employees, and tools to help us make money. Can you please cherish the tools that help us make money?

Not giving a cent in wages, only giving prisoners two meals a day, and making prisoners work eighteen hours a day.

Holy crap, even if Satan came, he couldn't think of such cruel exploitation. You guys are simply less humane than beasts.

If you use such brutal methods to mistreat them, can the production efficiency, product quality, and production enthusiasm of these prisoners go up?

They are prisoners serving time in prison. For a certain period, there is no hope in their lives. What will you do if they just idle away their time?

Beat them? Or put them in solitary confinement?

Running an enterprise requires using your brain. You must learn to use various management methods to make them work actively and improve efficiency.

Who dares to use those rotten tricks of mistreating people and exploiting them to death now? Try it and see if a bunch of people don't come looking for trouble with us.

Those rotten tricks are long outdated.

As early as the 1780s, America introduced a forced labor system for prisoners during criminal justice reforms.

Some state laws even had explicit legal provisions stating that prisoners sentenced to prison should be forced to perform heavy physical labor as a punishment to increase their suffering, while also using this as an economic extraction method to increase prison operational and management funds.

That's why you can see scenes in some movies, comics, or animations where prisoners have iron chains and iron balls attached to their legs while building railroads.

At that time, these prisoners wouldn't get a single cent in wages after finishing their labor. This kind of extreme exploitation definitely won't work now; the law and the public's moral values won't allow such things to continue happening.

Therefore, we need to switch to a decent and legal way to exploit these prisoners, so that the public, the media, and the regulatory departments have nothing to say."

When Wang Xiuyuan said they should use a decent and legal way to exploit these prisoners, Locke Vanderbilt's eyes lit up terrifyingly.

Clearly, the Vanderbilt Family blood flowing through him was particularly interested in this topic.

"Decent! Legal! Exploitation! I like these keywords!"

After Locke Vanderbilt finished speaking, he couldn't help but lick his lips; he looked quite perverted.

"If we set up factories in prisons and force prisoners to work, the labor department, the general public, and major media will all pay close attention to this. So, we need to package this matter.

We'll open the factories as planned, but our main purpose for opening them is to let those prisoners who want to turn over a new leaf learn a skill.

Prisoners can choose to go to the factory to learn a skill and earn a little pocket money for themselves on the side, or they can choose to stay in their cells and sleep or wander around the exercise yard.

This is a completely free choice; we won't force anyone.

The key point to emphasize is that we are providing prisoners with learning opportunities focused on acquiring skills. The word 'learning' needs to be highlighted.

Therefore, the wages we provide definitely won't be too high—probably only about three to five percent of the local wage.

Don't think it's low. We're teaching those prisoners skills and haven't even charged them tuition yet. Where else can you learn a skill outside without paying a hefty tuition fee?

If the prisoners think the wages are low, they can choose not to work at all.

However, if they go to the factory to learn, they can acquire some skills. After getting out of prison, they'll at least have a trade to support themselves.

Tell me yourselves, aren't we being very great?"

"Hahahaha, Wang Xiuyuan, you are the true capitalist. After this operation of yours, you'll earn both the reputation and the money.

You're amazing! You're truly something!"

Locke Vanderbilt was directly driven to laughter by Wang Xiuyuan's words.

(PS: One bonus chapter today. Brothers, please send some free follows, favorites, and recommendation votes. Thank you so much.)