Evil necessity

About this book

"Long before the Civil War began, Kentucky was the quintessential border state. As states in the Lower South embraced a militant proslavery ideology, Kentuckians viewed slavery as an "evil necessity," a harmful institution that was nonetheless necessary for the immediate economic, social, and political survival of the region.". "This understanding of slavery as a necessary evil both helped and harmed the cause of antislavery reform. Most immediately, it sparked debate on the subject of slavery. While other southern states were considering secession, Kentuckians were questioning the very existence of slavery in their state during the constitutional reform effort of 1849. This tolerant attitude allowed even radical antislavery activity, including the work of abolitionists like James G. Bimey and John G. Fee, to go forward with comparatively little suppression.". "Antislavery reform, however, was ultimately harmed by the necessary evil theory. Despite their reservations about the immorality of slavery, Kentuckians comforted themselves with the idea that they were helpless to do anything about it. Likewise, this belief fostered a more conservative antislavery activism than thrived in other parts of the country. Even those citizens who recognized the human and economic devastation of slavery found it easier to embrace a gradualist antislavery position that would take decades to fully achieve.". "Antislavery activists were initially drawn to the Commonwealth, thinking it would be one of the first southern states to end slavery. Kentucky actually proved to be one of the last …

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