Life in the Districts, dependency on the Capitol and work restrictions - discussion
I've been wondering lately how restricted life in the Districts is in terms of jobs and whatnot.
Like are people in District 12 allowed to farm?
It seems to me that on a grander self-sustaining scale this is not something the Capitol would allow since that would lead to some more independence where it comes to relying on the Capitol.
Then again at the beginning of the second book it's mentioned that there's a Harvest Festival.
We know Katniss hunts beyond the fence and that people forage. The mines seem to be the only real employer there given that nearly every (male) adult goes to work in the mines some women included. For example Ripper, the one-amed woman who sells the moonshine on the Hob is said to have lost her arms in a mining accident. I presume there's some coal processing done manually as well or so and we know that overall the merchants do have different jobs, aka the Mellarks being bakers, Katniss' mother having been from an Apothecary family.
I would assume that means there are shoemakers, maybe butchers and a grocer or so. But are there farmers? And where would they fall in the grand scheme?
There is a distinct class division in District 12 between Merchants and ppl from the Seam and that seems to be something that would be deliberately allowed by the Capitol given that division among the people would lead to more inter-district tensions and distract somewhat from united 'hate' against their overlords.
But if, say someone tried to build a self-sustaining farm or so, do you think that'd be tolerated? Or are they simply taxed super heavily?
In career Districts children/teens are said to train and I wonder if the 'stronger' indoctrination allows for more variety when it comes to jobs. I would also assume they'd live comparatively more luxuriously/wealthy than other districts with less laborious jobs. Thus there has to be more Capitol loyalty to foster the kind of dynamic that would be preferable to the Capitol to foster amicable relationships.
The farming/grain Districts like 11, I'd assume would be heavily monitored. Basically similar to slave labour or a medieval feudal dynamics where they take over the role of serfs. Working the fields that 'belong' to the Capitol and getting granted only minimal cuts of the annual harvest.
What are your thoughts on that?