“Paternalism” was a system which placed the mining company in a “parent-child” type of relationship with mineworkers, their families, and the community at large. Mining companies provided amenities such as libraries, bathhouses, and houses at reasonable rental rates to attract and retain skilled workers. These benefits were intended to reward good work, instill loyalty to the company, and quell complaints about working conditions and compensation. Paternalism in the Copper Country created a definite pecking order in both the workplace and the community. Skilled workers with mining experience from Cornwall, Germany, and other mining areas in the United States received better jobs and homes on company property close to work, while unskilled workers from places such as Finland, Italy, and Eastern Europe often had to live in more expensive and often congested housing off company property. While company-provided amenities might seem like a benefit to workers, they could all be taken away if a worker strayed from the company’s good graces.