The sharecropping system, prevalent in the Southern United States after the Civil War, can be deemed a failure due to its exploitative nature and perpetuation of poverty among former slaves and poor white farmers. Under this system, landowners provided tenants with land, tools, and seeds in exchange for a share of their crops. However, evidence shows that the terms favored landowners, leaving sharecroppers trapped in cycles of debt and dependence. They often lacked autonomy and were subjected to unfair contracts, leading to a lack of upward mobility. Additionally, sharecropping perpetuated racial disparities, as most sharecroppers were African Americans who faced discrimination and limited opportunities. The system's failure is evident in the perpetuation of poverty and the absence of substantial economic progress for those trapped within it.