Why did Jefferson and his democratic Republican party oppose policies that favored manufacturing and trade? The democratic Republicans felt that they posted a threat to slavery in the south, the Democratic Republicans will leave they would negatively affect American relationships with other other nations, the democratic Republicans thought they would corrupt the nation and give power only to a wealthy few, or the Democratic Republicans believed they would lead to a reduction in farming and cause Americans to rely on foreign goods

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The Democratic Republicans, including Thomas Jefferson, opposed policies that favored manufacturing and trade mainly because they believed these policies would lead to a reduction in farming and cause Americans to rely on foreign goods. They favored an agrarian economy and wanted to protect the interests of farmers, as they believed that this was the foundation of a strong and independent nation. They believed that an emphasis on manufacturing and trade would lead to the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few, and that it would corrupt the nation's values and democratic principles. Additionally, they were concerned that these policies would negatively impact the institution of slavery in the Southern states.