Basically, sharecropping is a type of farming in which a farmer shares his land with other farmers. It is a common practice in many parts of the world and has been used for thousands of years. It has many advantages, however, it also has some disadvantages.
Long history
During the early years of Reconstruction after the Civil War, the South developed a system of agricultural labor called sharecropping. Its origins were among landowners who needed to retain the labor of former slaves.
In exchange for a small plot of land, a sharecropper agreed to give the landowner a portion of his or her crop. The sharecropper would then work the land, using supplies provided by the landowner. The owner might provide seed on credit and other necessary supplies. The sharecropper would then sell his or her crop at market. The landowner would deduct the cost of the supplies from the farmer’s earnings.
The landowner would also give the sharecropper a cabin and provide other necessities. The sharecropper had no control over the crops and was often illiterate. In addition, the sharecropper often borrowed everything he or she needed from the landowner. The landowner could charge astronomical interest rates and kept many farmers in debt.
The system largely doomed enslaved people to poverty. After the Civil War, many former slaves were looking for jobs. The plantation system, however, relying on the stolen labor of enslaved people, was not a viable option in the South.
Sharecropping created an economic dependence on cotton, one of the most important crops in the region. It also gave farm laborers more power. Unlike enslaved people, sharecroppers were not confined to a specific piece of land. They could choose to move from place to place and negotiate a location to perform their work.
Eventually, sharecropping began to decline as the South moved away from small family farms to larger industrial enterprises. In the late 1940s, the system largely disappeared. The only remaining places where it is still practiced are Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Bangladesh.
The sharecropping system evolved after the failure of the contract labor system. In the 1930s, sharecroppers began organizing for better working conditions. The Southern Tenant Farmers Union, an integrated organization, was founded. The union gained power and began to exercise bargaining power.
During the late 1800s, discriminatory laws were enacted. These laws made it difficult for sharecroppers to sell their crops to other farmers. Consequently, the sharecropper’s debts carried over until the next year.
Forms of sharecropping
Historically, the sharecropping concept has been around for ages. The first recorded instances of sharecropping in China dates back to the first century. In the United States, sharecropping arose in the southern states after the American Civil War. In some areas, white sharecroppers outnumbered black ones. In the late 1920s, the Great Depression spurred the growth of the sharecropping population.
Sharecropping is a form of contracting that involves the leasing of a piece of land to a tenant farmer for a share of the crop. Usually, the lease agreement will contain a provision allowing the tenant to live on the property.
The most common crops grown by sharecroppers were cotton, sugar, and rice. They would sometimes buy goods on credit from local general stores. A sharecropping contract must be at least a year in length. In some cases, the lease would be renewable. A sharecropper could claim the benefits of this chapter once he presents his or her sharecropping contract to the Department of Agriculture.
The best form of sharecropping is a cooperative that allows its members to jointly share the costs of production. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as by renting out a portion of a home, or by forming a corporation. It is also possible to find companies that offer sharecropping as a service.
The democratization of the lands has given rise to more novel forms of sharing. For example, a jackfruit tree is not only a source of food, it also provides other organisms with nourishment.
The other obvious novelty of sharecropping is the opportunity to live on your own piece of land. Generally, the landlord provides housing for the tenant and allows the tenant to farm the land for a fee. As a bonus, sharecroppers also have access to a wide range of other goodies, such as water, electricity, and roads. In some cases, the landowner will even lend a hand in the farm.
The cheapest sharecropping crop is likely the least productive. The most important thing to remember is that a sharecropping contract has to be clearly spelled out.
Perks of sharecropping
Despite being a system of racialized agriculture, sharecropping has a number of benefits. For example, it can provide a ready resale market for landowners, as well as access to financial resources. However, it also creates a disadvantage for landowners. In the South, for example, it provided a way for white farmers to lease African farmers to work their excess land.
Another advantage of sharecropping is that it can promote upward mobility for newly freed African Americans. Some sharecroppers organized into unions and began exercising bargaining power. Others lobbied the federal government to change laws regulating evictions. Ultimately, the sharecropping system promoted racism in the South.
Similarly, the Marshall Paradox (Cheung 1968) explains why sharecropping is considered to be the best option for landowners. This is because it allows them to use land as collateral, which lowers the impact of risk on the landowner. Additionally, it allows for incentives, such as a larger share of crop in return for a smaller input cost.
Among other perks of sharecropping are the fact that the landowner can lease farming equipment to the sharecropper. Additionally, the landowner can use the land as a security for payment, which can be helpful during a recession.
The best part about sharecropping is that it is an efficient arrangement. In some countries, such as India, sharecropping is a routine practice. In Bangladesh, it still exists. In Zimbabwe, it is often used. In the United States, sharecropping has been declining, though it is still in operation in a few areas.
Sharecropping systems became a key element of the Southern plantations. It was hoped that the system would help revitalize the agrarian economy. This was a hope that quickly devolved into a form of covert slavery.
The lack of expertise and experience explains why some farmers choose to rent their land through a share contract. Moreover, it is possible that some Central Asian farmers are still acquiring the skills necessary for market-based agriculture.
The most common reason for sharecropping is access to cash. In addition, many sharecroppers had to borrow money to purchase seed and fertilizer.
Disadvantages of sharecropping
During the Great Depression, sharecropping had devastating effects. As farmers were forced to cut back on their crop production, many sharecroppers were forced off of their land. These families had to start the next growing season in debt.
During the early 1900s, about one-third of Black farms in the United States were run as sharecropping farms. They received half the profits from the farm. But they had to pay for the land they were working, their equipment, and their housing. The white owners deducted these costs from the money they paid to black workers. They also took their loan payments.
The sharecropper’s payment to the landowner was usually in the form of a combination of cash and a share in the final product. For example, a worker who could provide a mule might be paid with a larger share of the crop. But these arrangements made it hard for sharecroppers to sell their crops to other farmers.
In the South, sharecropping was a major agricultural labor system. In the early 1900s, a third of the acreage in Georgia was rented to tenants. By 1910, 11 million acres of Georgia farmland were operated by tenants. They were mainly African American and white.
When farmers were in a poor harvest, they were left with little or no profit and had to start the next growing season in debt. The sharecroppers complained about the high cost of their crops and the lack of credit. They were unable to seek out more fertile lands to grow their own crops.
Sharecropping was also a dangerous business. It is like serfdom, and the landowner was able to monitor the sharecropper’s activities. Moreover, he had the power to dictate how long the sharecropper could work. He pushed the sharecroppers to their limits.
After the Civil War, many former slaves sought employment. However, landowners exploited them and kept tenant farm families in debt. In 1913, the Natives’ Land Act made it illegal for Africans to own land in white areas.
During the Great Depression, many sharecroppers were compelled to migrate to cities to work in factories. Many sharecroppers’ children were pulled from schools. The Southern Tenant Farmers Union began to exercise its bargaining power in the 1930s. In the 1940s, sharecropping slowly disappeared in the United States. But it continues to be practiced in a few regions, including the parishes of St. Helena, Livingston, Tangipoa, and Washington.