How did the sharecropping keep the south America poor?

Sharecropping kept the South in America poor by maintaining a cycle of debt and dependency among impoverished farmers, primarily African Americans. Landowners provided land and resources in exchange for a share of the crops, but high rents and unfair pricing often left sharecroppers with little to nothing after paying off their debts. This economic structure prevented them from building wealth or improving their circumstances, effectively trapping generations in poverty. Additionally, it reinforced racial and economic inequalities that persisted long after the Civil War.