An analysis of contingencies in the Appalachian coalfields.

The history of the Appalachian coalfields points to the inescapable conclusion that affluence and deprivation alternate according to the demand for coal in the national economy. Although this process has frequently been described, it has never been adequately or comprehensively conceptualized. If, however, the region is viewed in terms of contingencies selecting responses, it is possible to regard the population as operating according to a variable-interval schedule. Implications of such a schedule and recommendations for redesigning the contingencies are made.