Question

Even as Gandhi was working for Balasumdaram, the South Africans passed a new law designed to make life difficult for Indians. If an indentured worker chose to stay past his or her contract and settle, the worker was slapped with an annual tax, which was a heavy burden for Indians, who barely survived on their wages. The message was clear: You were brought to Natal only as a guest worker; you have no right to stay. Today in the United States we allow Mexicans and people from Central America to milk cows and to pick tomatoes, strawberries, grapes, and other crops, but Congress has been deadlocked over the rules for allowing them to become residents or citizens. Just like the whites in Natal, we want the cheap labor but are reluctant to offer those same workers and their children a home in our country.

–Sugar Changed the World,
Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos

What is the authors’ primary purpose in this passage?

to convince readers that Gandhi was a visionary leader
to inform readers of the difficulty of life as an indentured servant
to persuade readers that modern forms of indentured servitude exist
to entertain readers by drawing parallels between past and present issues

Answer 1

to persuade readers that modern forms of indentured servitude exist

The passage connects historical treatment of Indian indentured workers in Natal to contemporary U.S. treatment of migrant farmworkers, arguing that society still wants cheap labor without offering residency — a persuasive comparison rather than mere information or entertainment.