Description: (Critic)
Hinton Rowan Helper was an American author and political activist known for his work denouncing slavery as detrimental to the Southern economy. His book, which combined statistical charts with provocative prose, attracted little attention until it was widely reprinted in a condensed volume by Northern opponents of slavery. Helper argued that slavery hindered economic development and industrialization in the South, leading to inferior economic progress compared to the North. Despite facing negative reactions and even criminal charges in the South, his observations on the negative effects of slavery influenced politicians and sparked controversy during the 1860 presidential election.