Still hoping the series can be closed soon. It starts to feel stretched.

Anyway, the episode touched parts from USA's history. Because USA was built on individual freedom, it also means government had more trouble to actually govern them. When the North wants to control the whole country, it ends with the Civil War (with abolishment of slavery as excuse). Yet, there's still the 2nd Ammendment, where the people are allowed to arm themselves so they can fight back when the government betrayed their oath and became tyrants (rather than self defence against fellow citizen, it seems).

Because government can't lightly challenge the risk of causing another civil war, they need to find another, less direct way. One of them is by using the Pinkerton Agency to infiltrate labour movements and quell dissent while keeping their hand clean. People noticed though, that government is pulling the strings. It ends with the Anti Pinkerton Acts in 1893, forbidding government from using such agencies.

The Government realize, it's not easy to control the people. They have to do it smartly, without the people even realizing they're being manipulated. They started recruiting intellectuals, and composition of agencies shifts from goons to brains.

Getting a bit political, I think that's the difference between "democratic" and dictatorial country's government. Dictators are used to just use force and terror to force people, so they do badly in hiding it. But "democratic" government have to keep a good face, so they improvise, such as using information and psychological tactics to keep people in check "by their own will".