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Kstatida
Do you really think a sane person would go to war because he needs to defend slavery?
If they see slavery as symbolic, or part of, their "Way of life", which is being taken away from them, yes. Larger than this, I think fearing to lose independence and freedom is a driving force. Many Southerners saw slavery as their right, their freedom. Surely as well, many Southerners had other reasons to despise the North (tariffs, etc). But you cannot argue that Slavery was a non-factor, regardless of whether the reasoning was moral or economic. It is interesting to note that many Northerners were fighting to preserve freedom and liberty, and didn't really care one way or another about slavery, which I find ironic.
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Kstatida
Because he needs something to eat - most certainly. Oh and slavery is necessary to have something to eat? Well we can live with that.
Many of the people joining the war did not have anything to gain personally by going to war, in fact, many of them suffered economically to do so. I'm curious to know the impetus for someone who is otherwise decently well off to leave their family and face death. Obviously there has to be a pretty strong personal reason for this.
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Kstatida
What I say is that economy is alfa and omega.
I am saying that economy can drive politicians to do things and to start wars, but most individuals need either an ideological reason, or to be forced to do so. Civil war was an interesting case where so many soldiers volunteered to fight (at least in the beginning of the war). During this time, coercive powers of the government over the individual wasn't particularly strong. It's not like there were mass people starving in the streets, forcing them to fight. So it is a very interesting question to delve into: what were these soldiers on both sides feeling? Fear of losing family? Fear of losing wealth? Fear of losing slaves? Fear of losing freedom? Probably all of these things.
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Kstatida
Be it slavery or not - does not matter for the purpose of starting a war. I does matter greatly to explain later on why you were the good guy though.