Using Danville, Virginia, which was dominated by planter-entrepreneurs and tobacco, as an example, Siegel refutes traditional arguments that the South's retarded development was caused by the Civil War. Comparing Danville and it surrounding county with a similar county in Virginia, a successful wheat and dairy county, he demonstrates that the Danville region's monocultures, products of the South's peculiar climate and soils, were responsible for its economic underdevelopment. Originally published in 1987. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.