The plantation economy was the foundation of the Southern way of life. It shaped the region's social structure, economy, and politics. The plantation system required a large labor force, and this led to the development of slavery in the South. Slavery had a profound impact on the South, and it shaped the region's culture and values. The plantation system also led to the development of a planter class, which dominated Southern society and politics. The plantation economy also had a major impact on the Southern economy. It was a monoculture, which means that the South relied heavily on one crop, cotton. This made the Southern economy vulnerable to fluctuations in the cotton market. The plantation economy also led to the development of a credit system, which allowed planters to borrow money to finance their operations. This credit system often led to debt, and this contributed to the economic problems of the South.