The question I always ask is: if the south had gained independence, how long would it have taken for them to abolish slavery? The 1920’s was the heyday of the

The question I always ask is: if the south had gained independence, how long would it have taken for them to abolish slavery? The 1920’s was the heyday of the klan; I don’t think it would have happened then. It might have happened in the 1960’s, but remember, it was federal troops from the north that allowed black people to vote. Without northern pressure, I don’t think that would have been possible. Perhaps by the early 2000’s opinions would have shifted enough. But I think there’s a chance slavery would still exist today in the south had the south won the war, especially if their entire economy was still built around it. One could imagine PR campaigns putting a smiley face on slavery with images of happy workers, smiling with arms crossed, or laughing together with lens flare. One could imagine them emphasizing that slaves at least had health care, unlike the northern poor, or Fox News running some story involving a northern family that went back to slavery because of northern poverty. Or maybe we would just not think about it.