What was the most independent farming arrangement for both parties in the south during reconstruction?

The most independent farming arrangement for both parties in the South during Reconstruction was sharecropping. In this system, landowners provided land, tools, and seeds to tenant farmers, who were often formerly enslaved individuals, in exchange for a share of the crop produced. This arrangement allowed tenant farmers a degree of autonomy in their work and decision-making, while landowners benefited from labor without the costs of hiring workers outright. However, sharecropping often led to cycles of debt and economic dependency, limiting true independence for the farmers involved.