Southern wages had a upper limit thanks to slavery.
Of course you’re not going to argue that fact. I guess you could argue the import, but I see no way to claim it wasn’t significant
...you are not getting it as late as 1932 all life revolved around food and a house in the south my family didn’t own slaves but the lived side by side raising children and food. My dad came from 14 children, everyone worked. The main thing in the south that made any difference was the airport...I played in slave houses that had running water..
” you are not getting it as late as 1932 “
And even later. The South was poverty zone until WW2 brought us some money.
(Our WW1 vets helped some.)
It’s a horrible thing to be conquered in war.