How was cotton important to the south's relationships with other nations?

As the US cotton industry developed, other countries became more dependent on cotton produced in the American South. The power of cotton allowed the Confederacy to employ cotton diplomacy as its foundation for foreign relations during the Civil War.Cotton was a highly desirable commodity. Until the South became a major cotton producer, Egypt was the main cotton producing country. Cotton was expensive in Europe until the South gained the ability to produce it cheaply. This allowed them to develop trade relationships with other countries. Southern cotton allowed cotton to be affordable to other classes besides the wealthy in Europe.