The coming into existence of slavery and the manifestations associated with the system, shaped American society in many ways including socially, economically and politically. There were views that the country was divided regarding how the society viewed the slavery system. The community was characterized by beneficiaries of the system, and those who thought that the system contributed to unfairness with regard to the distribution of the resulting benefits (Foner 1). Socially, slavery introduced divergent visions regarding how the Northerners and Southerners viewed and ideal society. Southerners celebrated slavery and openly criticized capitalism. The Southern community was depicted as upholding virtues of slavery, and claimed to champion for slaves’ rights and white supremacy. On the other hand, the Northern society was inclined towards free labor, supporting upward mobility, and the creation of equal opportunities for all (Book source 365, 366). Debow (Review 2) claims that the interests of both slaveholders and non-slaveholders were aligned, as presented by the views generated by the sectional controversy relating to the institution of slavery. This is considered to be true since non-slave holders were rewarded more for their labor than the laborers in the free states, and their conditions were not as pathetic as those found in free states.
Economically, slavery was perceived to contribute to the Southern society through provision of labor, and slave-owners were characteristically richer than the rest of the population. With regard to economic advancement, there was widespread scarcity and deprivation associated with the Southern part, and deemed to affect a majority of native population who did not own slaves (Öhman 23). The affected population openly expressed their dissatisfaction with the system, and pointed out lack of education and poor returns on labor as the major factors leading to their diminished economic empowerment (Book source 368). The economic situation in the South resulted in the absence of a middle class category for a long period of time, and the largely anti-slavery North initiated campaign for economic growth that looked down upon the proposed approaches that called for the reliance on slavery as the vehicle of choice to a developed and empowered nation (Foner 1). Foner (Review 1) argues that the Negro was naturally indolent and uneconomical, but the individual was excused by the Republicans from the sorry economic situation of the South, and instead blame heaped on the slavery institution that contributed to the deprivation of educational and related incentives.
Politically, slavery marked an extended period of activism and the North and the South became politically divided, with the former leaning towards a free labor system. The free labor system was widely regarded as a Republican creation, and touted to be a political tool intended to present the preferred definition of the society, and as a yardstick against which other institutions would be assessed. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which mandated the Northerners to participate in the apprehension of slaves who escaped from Southern slave territories, marked the beginning of a political movement (Book source 366). There was the emergence of a political campaign against the “foreign menace” which was attributed with immigrants contributing to the diminished participation and organization of Native Americans (DeBow's Review 1). Book source (376) highlights the political climate that was characteristic of the slavery revolution. The authors describe secession struggle between the South and the North. The Southerners described the situation leading the election of a government that was opposed to slavery, as likened with the election of a “Black Republican.” This ignited the secession uprising with Southerners claiming that the end of slavery would imply a destruction of their society.
Works Cited
Book Source (Attached links)
DeBow's Review urging Non-slaveholders to fight for slavery, 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2016.
Foner, Eric. Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2016.
Öhman, Martin. "A Convergence of Crises: The Expansion of Slavery, Geopolitical Realignment, and Economic Depression in the Post-Napoleonic World." Diplomatic History (2013): dht018.
