In certain historical contexts, mill owners in the United Kingdom did hold a dominant position akin to a monopoly over employment in specific towns The invention of the bicycle and the expansion of railroads significantly impacted the mobility of workers, including those facing discrimination, though the historical context reveals complex and often unequal access to these transportation advancements. In the 20th century, authoritarian governments sometimes used population immobilization and control tactics to consolidate power, suppress dissent, and manage labor. These methods included forced resettlement, internal passport systems (like the Soviet propiska), restricted movement between regions, and the creation of closed cities. Such measures limited individuals' freedom of movement, effectively immobilizing populations to prevent organized opposition and ensure state oversight.

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An immobile population is indeed easier to control under a totalitarian government because such regimes rely on isolating individuals to eliminate social ties and prevent collective action. https://sociology.institute/political-sociology/mechanisms-total-control-totalitarian-governments/