The Real Lincoln

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses Thomas J. DiLorenzo book's "The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War". The paper describes the book as different from biographies that deify the 16th president. DiLorenzo argues that Lincoln's image as the great emancipator is a myth. The author maintains that Lincoln's decision to fight the Civil War was unrelated to slavery and that these ulterior motives centered on the concentration of political power in Washington, at the expense of the economic sovereignty of the Southern states.

From the Paper:

"To be fair, DiLorenzo gets some of his facts straight. Historical accounts show that Lincoln did indeed start his political career as a Whig, before joining the Republican Party. Lincoln also supported the repatriation of freed slaves to colonies in Africa and Central America. However, the author's major support for Lincoln's mercantilist leanings stem from the president's admiration for Henry Clay, the man who pushed the mercantilist-based "American system." This is hardly enough to support a contention regarding Lincoln's deeply-held motives."

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