One of the reasons why many people say the Confederate States of America would not last for long had it earned it's independence was because of slavery. In short, in a world that was slowly industrializing, the Confederate States would've suffered economically due to it's reliance of slaves.
However, in my opinion, slavery would not be the only thing to threaten the Confederate States.
One of the things that would hurt the Confederacy in the long run is that it is a Confederacy, meaning that there is a weak central authority. Even during the Civil War, this was a problem. During said war, states could refuse use of their militia to the Confederate government and sometimes did if they felt the men were needed for defense at home. The constitution also severely restricted the government’s ability to raise money, which led to bread riots in Richmond and other locations in the South.
The Constitution deliberately weakened the federal government and gave the states more power than the US Constitution did. This is stated in the preamble with the following line: "We, the people of the Confederate States, each State acting in its sovereign and independent character",
For example, the Confederate government could not levy protective tariffs; direct and capitation taxes and taxes on exports were restricted. The ability to make internal improvements was limited to matters regarding ports and harbors, lighthouses, and dredging rivers. The government of the Confederacy could not overrule the decisions of state courts.
In essence, the Articles of Confederation mess, which almost destroyed the United States of America in it's infancy, was going to have a sequel of sorts in the South.
But this is merely my opinion.
Would the Confederate States of America need to be reformed so that the federal government had more power if the CSA was going to last as a independent nation and what would be the repercussions of any attempted reformation?
However, in my opinion, slavery would not be the only thing to threaten the Confederate States.
One of the things that would hurt the Confederacy in the long run is that it is a Confederacy, meaning that there is a weak central authority. Even during the Civil War, this was a problem. During said war, states could refuse use of their militia to the Confederate government and sometimes did if they felt the men were needed for defense at home. The constitution also severely restricted the government’s ability to raise money, which led to bread riots in Richmond and other locations in the South.
The Constitution deliberately weakened the federal government and gave the states more power than the US Constitution did. This is stated in the preamble with the following line: "We, the people of the Confederate States, each State acting in its sovereign and independent character",
For example, the Confederate government could not levy protective tariffs; direct and capitation taxes and taxes on exports were restricted. The ability to make internal improvements was limited to matters regarding ports and harbors, lighthouses, and dredging rivers. The government of the Confederacy could not overrule the decisions of state courts.
In essence, the Articles of Confederation mess, which almost destroyed the United States of America in it's infancy, was going to have a sequel of sorts in the South.
But this is merely my opinion.
Would the Confederate States of America need to be reformed so that the federal government had more power if the CSA was going to last as a independent nation and what would be the repercussions of any attempted reformation?