“It is ALWAYS about money. “
Exactly. It’s an economic decision made by the powers that be. But the fighting man is told it’s about freeing people from tyranny.
Translate to the war between the states. The powers that be in the South relied on slavery for their economic prosperity. But the fighting man was fed the line it’s about state’s rights.
As with anything, following the money leads to the truth.
The South was not going to fight a war. They left and wanted to be left alone. The South was going to get to form it's own trade relations with Europe and was going to be able to keep more of the wealth it had been generating rather than have the North continue to steal 40%. In addition, manufactured goods that tariffs made too expensive to purchase from Europe would be better for the South instead of the high priced Northern manufactured goods.
The North had a really nice arrangement going for itself at the expense of the South and did not want to give it up. They also feared that losing the South as a customer for their over priced products as well as having the South arrange new trade deals in IT'S OWN BEST INTEREST would bankrupt the North. Money, Money, Money. All of it going to the North. They couldn't shake the habit so they provoked war and invaded the South. What was the South or it's citizens do other than fight to protect themselves? To the average Confederate soldier, slavery was non-existent as they had none and in many ways were victimized by the institution of slavery itself as it took thousands of farm jobs away from them. Many in the North feared for their jobs as well if slaves were freed and moved north. These folks were lied to when they were told the war was to preserve the union when in reality it was to preserve the profits of the fat cats in the Northeast who were making tons of money off of the South and it's cheap labor force.