The Legacy of Cotton: A Geographical Perspective on the Influence of Traditionalist Politics in Mississippi

Author

William Edward Stephen Cottrell

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Wax, Charles

Committee Member

Rodgers, John

Committee Member

Schmitz, Darrel

Date of Degree

12-9-2011

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Geosciences

Degree Name

Master of Science

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Geosciences

Abstract

It was hypothesized that the socialspatial dialectic (location, education, politics and race) contributes to Mississippi’s low livability ranking. Regression models were employed using race, student funding rates, high school graduation rates, property tax, and voter turnout in the 82 counties as variables. The research found evidence that Blacks have lower graduation rates than Whites and property tax has a significant effect on voter participation at the gamma = .001 level. Social capital disadvantage seems to reside within both races with voter participation, property tax rates, and school funding being more pronounced with Whites. Results suggest that political capital should not be diminished in researching Mississippi’s livability ranking.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/19010

Recommended Citation

Cottrell, William Edward Stephen, "The Legacy of Cotton: A Geographical Perspective on the Influence of Traditionalist Politics in Mississippi" (2011). Theses and Dissertations. 4555.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/4555