Elite Power, Race, and the Persistence of Low Unionization in the South

Sociohistorical accounts point out two fundamental features of the southern political economy that have dampened attempts at unionization: the exercise of elite power and the prevalence of racial division and animosity. Using unique county-level indicators of elite power and unionization across one southern state, we explore the extent to which the dynamics of race and class continue to shape worker mobilization. Findings suggest that historically influential considerations be accorded more weight in contemporary analyses of race and class-based insurgency. Equally important is the need to examine whether inequality and mobilization processes vary at the local level.