icy do you think was the key to Southern elites maintaining control and imposing their will on the rest of Southern population (both black and white)?...

What specific factor/tool/policy do you think was the key to Southern elites maintaining control and imposing their will on the rest of Southern population (both black and white)? Why didn't the rest of the population use their numbers to impose a system more beneficial the majority? Is there any comparison you can make to the power brokers in the north at the time?