Pripyat, in Soviet-Ukraine, a “nuclear town” was established and subsequently evacuated when the infamous meltdown occurred: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pripyat
In the US, specifically, a lot of company towns issued scrip instead of cash or allowed workers to charge to an account expenses they could not afford. This may be outlawed but I think this model can be sufficiently masked with technology that it can be implemented and even incentivized for workers to use company money. Further, the company town’s isolation will suggest workers stay inside. Now your whole social circle and standard of life is dictated by someone else’s bottom line.
>I'm just not aware of any examples if this actually happening
That's the point. Google by and large treats its employees really well. There's no reason to think it would push this dystopian version of employee housing, instead of something a lot more tame. The only explanation I can think of is that some people just like thinking of themselves as the little guy against the world.
It’s the consolation of power that is concerning. The idea that one single institution that is accountable to nobody but it’s shareholders can dictate where you live, eat, who your friends are, and where your family is.
Many very-bad, dictatorship-type regimes have come into power with immense public support - a public that thought they would continue to be treated well.
I don't know why you're going to such lengths to defend someone who claimed they would be arrested by the corporate cops for thought crime. Over Google building some employee housing close to their office.
On the other hand, the rest of the world being exploiting wolves of capitalism fucking over everyone, obstructing most everyone trying to get started & make their way seems to be the actual evil here.
I agree there's potentials for the company to grow mean & sour, to exploit the position of granter of a reasonably good life. Ideally a good life should also be available by other means. What really is damned in this condemnation is the rest of the world, which lacks in offerances & alternatives.
The idea is that this is a destination company. Your whole premise is that people get exploited. Maybe over time that's true, but you will never create a destination company by being a shitty fuck.
I.e., if:
(1) living in the company town is contingent on being an employee,
(2) being accused of politically incorrect speech can end one's employment, and
(3) eviction is ultimately backed by state-sanctioned violence,
then I can see the logic. I'm just not aware of any examples of this actually happening.
OTOH, I have no idea if the plans for those company towns involved behavior standards for conduct in the residential areas, outside of working hours.
The overall setup sounds really dystopian, so hopefully this is the last we'll ever think about it.