[Texas_Dawg]

They didn't support it then. It was an unfortunate economic holdover that they were unsure of how to get rid of without ripping up the South.

Wait a second... so they did support it. I understand the circumstances. Circumstances change.

[Texas_Dawg]

</b></i> Oops.

[Cacophonous]

To clarify...they tolerated it because they were unsure of how to get rid of it. They were all willing to change it if a plan could be formulated that would both treat the freed slaves right, and not screw the whites. Washington had all sorts of plans - giving them land, etc. He didn't think it fair to suddenly them toss them into the streets without giving them the ability to provide for themselves.

I should point out that the slave owners were the ones that were primarily in favor of free trade. Their agrarian economy forced them to import most of their goods, and the north generally was protectionist. But that opens up a states' right debate that I don't want to deal with now.

All of which has nothing to do with the current discussion...

So what changed between 1940 and 1960 that suddenly ushered in the free trade era? Why did we go from the world's biggest exporter to the world's biggest importer?