Critique the following constitutional provision protecting the property of slave owners. What would be an advantage of this policy?

Question

“Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.”

(1 point)
Responses

The national government assesses taxation on an equal basis, regardless of state population size.
The national government assesses taxation on an equal basis, regardless of state population size.

States retain the power to decide what taxes will be paid to the federal government, thus increasing state autonomy.
States retain the power to decide what taxes will be paid to the federal government, thus increasing state autonomy.

Identifying enslaved people as property ensures that Southern slave states remain part of the Union.
Identifying enslaved people as property ensures that Southern slave states remain part of the Union.

Taxes are divided on an equal basis regardless of race, ensuring taxation is fair.

Answer 1

The constitutional provision in question is the "Three-Fifths Compromise," which was intended to help balance representation and taxation between slave-holding and non-slave-holding states. While this provision was meant to ease tensions between different regions, it has significant moral and ethical implications.

Critique:

1. Moral Implications: The provision essentially dehumanizes enslaved individuals by classifying them as three-fifths of a person for purposes of representation and taxation. This classification reflects the deeply entrenched racism of the time and underscores the systemic denial of basic human rights to enslaved people.

2. Political Manipulation: The compromise favored slave-holding states by giving them greater political power and representation in Congress. This not only solidified the institution of slavery but also perpetuated racial injustice by enabling the continuation of policies that oppressed a significant portion of the population.

3. Taxation Inequity: The idea that enslaved individuals could be counted for taxation but viewed as property in other contexts created a contradictory and inequitable situation. This system did not provide fair representation or taxation based on the actual demographic or economic realities of the states.

Advantage of the Policy:

Among the provided options, the closest to an advantage would be:

• Identifying enslaved people as property ensures that Southern slave states remain part of the Union.

This policy allowed for the preservation of political unity among states with differing economic systems and social structures. By ensuring that Southern slave states could have representation in Congress, the compromise helped maintain the balance of power within the federal government, preventing the potential dissolution of the Union due to tensions over slavery. In the short term, this could be seen as a political advantage for both the stability of the Union and for slave-holding states seeking to protect their economic interests. However, such an advantage comes at a significant moral cost and exacerbates the injustices faced by enslaved individuals.