I was having a discussion with a friend the other day, about if/when independent Southern states would abolish slavery barring direct outside influence (I'm planning a TL with many independent American states, and I'm planning states of Virginia and a united-Carolinas-and-Georgia (possibly annexing Mississippi/Alabama).
I argued that the growth of industry would eventually make slavery obsolete by the beginning of the 20th century, with the Southern states becoming like OTL apartheid South Africa.
He claimed that agricultural slavery would be able to transfer effectively to "industrial slavery". What about poor whites seeking jobs?
He also offered the option that maybe the Southern states wouldn't even industrialize enough to require ending slavery. I think they would if they wanted to keep up with other powers on the continent!
What do the people of AH think?