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Doc o War -> RE: Let me get this straight... (8/15/2008 8:26:56 AM)
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Treefrog- the Federalizing of the United States had so many huge effects its hard to begin to list them- the most important I think- which was later stated by many veterans on both sides- was that before the War Between the States, people were from their states- few people considered themselves Americans- except maybe when discussing it with a Brit. They were Virginians or Rhode Islanders first, and Americans as an after thought. But after the War, being a person from x state became secondary to just being an American- Lincoln's goal to preserve the Union worked. This has been pointed out as a very singular effect- I read a great article about it in the Civ war Times a few years ago. There are distinct social measures of this. These days we are Americans first, from x state second.
Further- as one of my Black Army Buddies pointed out once- the only "state right" that the old south was really ready to fight and die for was to preserve an economic system that was built on slavery- (which by the way had also included indentured whites and later sharecroppers- who were effectively slaves also.) Each land owner who owned slaves got to gain an extra 3/5s of a vote for every slave they owned. So a big slave holder, with say 500 slaves- had 1 + 300 votes in the local election, that could swing local elections to candidates of their choice.- slave owners dominated southern state governments and ruled the roost, in every way.
The world would have been a very different place after 1865 if there had ended up being two weak countries- north and south- after the war- some scholars have said it would likely have split even more-maybe to 5 or even six small countires.
What would have happened in WW1- if the Doughboys had not arrived?
What about WW2?
The South clung to their old way of agrarian life that was already changing any way- possibly they might have given up slavery eventually, but that question- one which they died for- was settled for all time right there. It opened up many other issues, and those too were eventually dealt with. Not to take away anything from the south's honor, but they are much stronger and more vibrant today than they were in the Anti Bellum times. Because they are part of the United States.
Finally- the Federal power to tax- as Oliver Wendel Holmes said in one of his Supream Court Decisions- "Taxes are the price people pay for Civilization."
Think about all the ways taxes you pay effect your life every day- do you drive on roads? Eat safe food? Fly in safe airspace? Enjoy the protection of a modern Military? Are your kids going to a school that is supported witth tax dolllars, are your kids getting student loans? Was your house loan federal money? Is your local hospital supported by goverment dollars.
We are not living in caves anymore- civilization costs money.
And government- since the time of the Cities of Ur and Mesopotemia, has been the engine that paid for social advancement and progress through taxes.
Many people over the Last 140 years have said the Civil War was a bloody but necessary step in our developement into a modern state.
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