Journal of Undergraduate Research
Keywords
Civil War, lower class, poor man's fight, discrimination, recruitment
College
Family, Home, and Social Sciences
Department
Economics
Abstract
The Civil War has often been described as a “rich man’s war-poor man’s fight,” suggesting that the war was waged with disproportionate human losses to the lower class. The losses suffered by the nation were huge, but the charge that such losses were disproportionately born by the poor or the immigrants as a result of some Intentional discrimination makes such losses even more tragic and unjustified. Since the beginning of the Union draft, this question has been an issue of debate. In 1863, the debate was highly partisan, with the Democratic party accusing the current Republican majority and administration of discriminating against the poorer classes by Instituting commutation. Today, the debate continues In history texts and other academic circles.
Recommended Citation
Blood, David
(2014)
"THE CIVIL WAR: A “POOR MAN’S FIGHT?”,"
Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2014:
Iss.
1, Article 179.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2014/iss1/179