Why did Southerners resist the increased tariff in 1828 arguing he should be nullified? It was not helpful to section of the country, it benefited one section of the country at the expense of another, it increased the market for cotton, it increased foreign competition

Answer 1

There were several reasons why Southerners resisted the increased tariff in 1828 and argued for its nullification:

1. Economic Disruption: Southerners believed that the increased tariff disproportionately harmed their region's economy. The South relied heavily on imported manufactured goods, as they lacked industrial capacity compared to the North. The higher tariffs increased the cost of these imported goods, making them more expensive for Southern consumers.

2. Regional Bias: Southerners felt that the tariff favored the interests of the Northern manufacturing states at the expense of the agrarian South. They argued that the tariff protected Northern industries by making imported goods more expensive, while damaging the Southern agricultural economy.

3. Market for Cotton: Southerners feared that the increased tariff might hurt their lucrative cotton industry. They believed that the higher tariffs could reduce demand for Southern cotton in foreign markets as other countries could face difficulty affording it due to the increased costs caused by the tariff.

4. Foreign Competition: Southerners were concerned that the increased tariff would increase foreign competition in their domestic markets. The higher tariffs were aimed at protecting American industries from foreign competition, but Southerners worried that it might incentivize other countries to retaliate with their own tariffs, limiting access to foreign markets for Southern agricultural goods.

Thus, Southerners resisted the increased tariff in 1828 and argued for nullification as they believed it was detrimental to their economic interests, favored one section of the country over another, could harm the market for cotton, and potentially increase foreign competition.