South Carolina Politics: A Re-Evaluation of Key

Abstract

Obviously, many of,the statements which Key made about South Carolina are now obsolete. The politics of color has disappeared and blacks are today an important and influential part of the South Carolina political scene. As Key predicted, the end of the politics of color appears to have brought bipartisanship to the state. The Republican Party has enjoyed a great deal of success on the national level. Also as Key predicted, voting patterns have changed. "Friends and neighbors" politics has begun to fade from the scene as individuals have, in many cases, begun to vote for the party that best represents their interests. . . . At the same time, however, much of what Key wrote is still applicable to South Carolina. Despite their advances, blacks are still not fully assimilated into the South Carolina political community. For example, the State Senate is still all-white. Also, the Democratic party, despite the end of its complete control, is still in firm control of politics at the state level. In addition, there is strong evidence that a diluted form of "friends and neighbors" politics still exists, particularly in rural areas. Finally, South Carolina's government is still controlled by a legislature with close ties to the business community. . . . Today, despite the dramatic changes, the situation which Key described has not completely disappeared. [From Conclusion]