What controversial system was Joseph E. Brown associated with during Reconstruction?

Joseph E. Brown was a significant political figure during the Reconstruction era in Georgia, and he is notably associated with the convict lease system. This system involved the leasing of prisoners to private businesses for labor, allowing the state to generate revenue while providing cheap labor to industries such as railroads and agriculture. The convict lease system became controversial for its exploitation of inmates, often in inhumane conditions, and its parallels to slavery, raising moral and ethical concerns about the treatment of African American individuals in particular.

This method of labor emerged in response to a labor shortage following the Civil War and was operational from the 1860s well into the 20th century in the South. Under Brown's administration, the use of leased convicts was expanded, thereby entrenching a system that many viewed as perpetuating racial injustice and economic inequality. The system's legacy is significant in understanding both the economic developments in the South during Reconstruction and the ongoing struggles for civil rights.