The political economy of early southern unionism: Race, politics, and labor in the South, 1880-1953

Southern unions were the weak link in the American labor movement, organizi ng a smaller share of the labor force than did unions in the northern state s or in Europe. Structural conditions, including a racially divided rural p opulation, obstructed southern unionization. The South's distinctive politi cal system also blocked unionization. A strict racial code compelling white s to support the Democratic Party and the disfranchisement of southern blac ks and many working-class whites combined to create a one-party political s ystem that allowed southern politicians to ignore labor's demands. Unconstr ained by working-class voters, southern politicians facilitated strikebreak ing and favored employers against unions.