[Mr. Bird]

Very interesting, and certainly frustrating to those of us who wish for a better America. But in the end, I think it's just a bitter screed. We can't go back to the 1850's and change things.

I'd be interested to get opinions on what the world would look like if the South had won. Would we still be separate nations, or would a reunion have been inevitable? I seriously doubt slavery would have continued indefinitely, and the European antics of the 20th century would have placed unique pressures on both a Confederacy and a separate Union....One of many questions: Would two nuclear nations now occupy what is now the U.S.?

[NovemberCharlie]

I'd be interested to get opinions on what the world would look like if the South had won. Would we still be separate nations, or would a reunion have been inevitable? I seriously doubt slavery would have continued indefinitely, and the European antics of the 20th century would have placed unique pressures on both a Confederacy and a separate Union....One of many questions: Would two nuclear nations now occupy what is now the U.S.?

"If the South would have won we'd have had it made....
I'd probably run for President of the Southern States.

The day Elvis passed away would be a national holiday,
If the South would have won we'd have had it made."

Okay, maybe Hank Williams, Jr. isn't the best political analyst on this topic. I think we'd have stayed two nations, or more than two. With secession firmly established as a valid political strategy in both nations, either more states would split off, or the knowledge that they could would make other statesmen less inclined to push them. It would probably result in a decentralization of the federal governments of however many countries you eventually end up with.

As a side note, look what this libertarian web site had to say about the possibility of modern secession after the 200 election:
Breaking Up is Hard to Do

[shuckmaster]

If the South would have won, the individual northern states would have quickly recognized how much better off they would be as confederated free states & rebeled against Lincoln's federal tyranny also. Today, the government in Washington wouldn't be doing much more than their three intended jobs. Defending the borders from foreign invaders, insuring free trade between states, & delivering the mail.

[TEXICAN II]

By every measure, slavery was not just on the wane, its end was only a question of time and method ( already debated by many legislators ) would have likely varied by state & perhaps even by county. The rest is pure speculation-but what if! Suppose two entirely different societies had been allowed to evolve!