Why did the social and political distance between planters and small farmers decrease between 1660 and 1700?

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The colony's increased dependence on slave labor reduced the social and political distance between planters and small farmers. As the reliance on slave labor grew, the economic interests of planters and small farmers began to align more closely, leading to a decrease in the social and political distance between these groups.

Why Did the Social and Political Distance Between Planters and Small