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As part of Reconstruction, most of the slaveholders regained their ability to care for themselves. Of course, there were some who couldn't make it on their own without slaves to care for them, but most became self-sufficient and regained their self respect in the process.

Self-respect and the ability to care for oneself is extremely important. Dependency weakens the mind, the body and the soul. If you read the so-called declarations of secession that the slaveholders drafted, you will see that the slaveholders themselves were well aware of their dependency on slaves and believed that they could not go forward in this world without being cared for by slaves. It seems that they were quite aware that they had through generations of slavery created in themselves a "culture of dependency" akin to an addiction.

Lincoln freed them of all that and that's why their descendants are now grateful.

As part of Reconstruction, most of the slaveholders regained their ability to care for themselves.

Just curious, how do you think that ability is holding up for the former slaves?

It occurs to me that the moral argument in favor of slavery was that certain peoples were not capable of taking care of themselves, so it was best to have a more powerful force which would provide for them in exchange for what they could do for that more powerful force. Obviously a very self-serving position, but it sounds amazingly familiar to the DNC's stated position on blacks today, don't you think?