Southern Scoundrels: Grifters and Graft in the Nineteenth Century

The history of capitalist development in the United States is long, uneven, and overwhelmingly focused on the North, but Southern Scoundrels explores the lesser-known aspects of the emergence of capitalism in the region, featuring narrative storytelling and a broad geographic scope. Contributors offer social histories on the nineteenth-century southern economy and the changes wrought by capitalist transformation, providing fascinating insights into the region's hucksters and its history.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 30 April 2021
Publisher: Louisiana State University Press

The history of capitalist development in the United States is a complex and multifaceted tale, with a significant focus on the North. However, the South has also played a significant role in the global economy, particularly through its cotton economy. Until now, there has been limited scholarly attention given to understanding how capitalism emerged and functioned in the South in its various forms.
Southern Scoundrels seeks to fill this gap by delving into the lesser-known aspects of the emergence of capitalism in the region. The book explores the shady and unscrupulous characters who capitalized on available opportunities to advance their own interests, leaving a lasting impact on the southern economy.
Rather than relying on conventional economic theory, Southern Scoundrels employs narrative storytelling to engage and captivate readers. The book features a cast of shifty characters, ranging from peddlers and preachers to slave traders and war profiteers, who traversed the nineteenth-century South. The geographic scope of the essays is equally broad, covering the Chesapeake, South Carolina, the Lower Mississippi Valley, Texas, Missouri, and Appalachia.
Through these essays, contributors offer a series of social histories on the nineteenth-century southern economy and the changes wrought by capitalist transformation. The book traces the story of capitalism in the South through the lens of these oily individuals, providing fascinating insights into the region's hucksters and its history.
In conclusion, Southern Scoundrels is a valuable addition to the literature on capitalism and the South. By exploring the lesser-known aspects of the region's economic development, the book offers a fresh perspective on the complex and multifaceted history of capitalism in the United States.

Weight: 536g
Dimension: 158 x 236 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780807172193