AHC: Liberal South

No Taft-Hartley which makes it easier to unionize the South.
A comprehensive Voted Rights Act from the 46th Congress in 1947 that brings new voters in the South who are African-Americans and they vote Democratic because of economic issues.
Southern whites who will not vote for Republicans but will vote for progressive Democrats in a reluctant collation with African-Americans because of economic issues.
 
No Taft-Hartley which makes it easier to unionize the South.
A comprehensive Voted Rights Act from the 46th Congress in 1947 that brings new voters in the South who are African-Americans and they vote Democratic because of economic issues.
Southern whites who will not vote for Republicans but will vote for progressive Democrats in a reluctant collation with African-Americans because of economic issues.
Ok. How does the GOP change? And where does it campaign instead of the south? In this world is the south west solidly republican? Is the Midatlantic more republican?
 
To have a “liberal” American South, you have to go back a lot further than any post-1900 divergence. You have to limit things like slavery and Native American removal and possibly go even further back, as the majority of the educated, voting eligible populations of these states were landed gentry. There is no inherent need for them to change a system that works for them.

Possibly if Whitney hadn’t invented the cotton gin and slavery had faded into economic irrelevance by the 1830’s, you may have seen a move toward a more European style of liberalism/socialism due to the poor economic conditions.
 
To have a “liberal” American South, you have to go back a lot further than any post-1900 divergence. You have to limit things like slavery and Native American removal and possibly go even further back, as the majority of the educated, voting eligible populations of these states were landed gentry. There is no inherent need for them to change a system that works for them.

Possibly if Whitney hadn’t invented the cotton gin and slavery had faded into economic irrelevance by the 1830’s, you may have seen a move toward a more European style of liberalism/socialism due to the poor economic conditions.

Kind of all the above.

I think you need events that would vilify right leaning policy and positive economic impact from left leaning policy. Getting people to change their minds about stuff involves both the carrot and the stick and plenty of them.

In OTL, it was two things that made it as big of an issue as it was. One was the profitability of cotton in the 19th century. The other was white people's "peace of mind" in that, no matter how destitute they were, they would always have higher social standing than people of color. The former motivated the ruling plantation class, the latter dragooned the poorer southern whites into fighting and dying for the rich plantation classes.
 
The other was white people's "peace of mind" in that, no matter how destitute they were, they would always have higher social standing than people of color. The former motivated the ruling plantation class, the latter dragooned the poorer southern whites into fighting and dying for the rich plantation classes.

Always considered this to be the root of the ACW. Taken to calling it the "Jerry Springer Show" effect...
 
Stop the significant northern migration by African Americans in the 50s and 60s. Instead have mass southern white migration to the west..Arizona Nevada Kansas etc. If the southern states go from 70-80 percent white to 50 or less can see a flip
 
WI there had been a HUGE emigration of Africna Americans away from the South. Hating blacks would not be such a big deal if there were not any available to lynch, hold as virtual slaves under sharecropping contracts.

Maybe some progressive (possibly Quaker) businesses might decide they could get good workers and offer good conditions in the North or the West
 

Thomas1195

Banned
To have a “liberal” American South, you have to go back a lot further than any post-1900 divergence. You have to limit things like slavery and Native American removal and possibly go even further back, as the majority of the educated, voting eligible populations of these states were landed gentry. There is no inherent need for them to change a system that works for them.

Possibly if Whitney hadn’t invented the cotton gin and slavery had faded into economic irrelevance by the 1830’s, you may have seen a move toward a more European style of liberalism/socialism due to the poor economic conditions.
To make a liberal South, you must fundamentally change it economic and social conditions during the 19th century. 19th century liberalism was strongest in the industrialized, urban areas, where the educated mercantile and middle classes were stronger.
 
Top