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Was Abraham Lincoln Democratic Or Autocratic?

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Abraham Lincoln: Democratic or Autocratic? Abraham Lincoln was of of the most democratic presidents in the history of the United States, as evident by his belief in government of the people, by the people, and for the people; this phrase is rather popular, few political figures have stood by its true values. Lincoln’s presidency took place during the Civil War, a battle between capitalism and feudalism, in which he was determined to regain the entirety of the Union. In times of crisis, he greatly overstepped the constitutional limits of his office, which is why many people label him as one of the most autocratic presidents in U.S. history. Although Lincoln successfully led his country though its greatest international crisis, he was a president …show more content…

The Emancipation Proclamation and the Ten Percent Plan, are only two examples of this. Although, it is important to note that he had originally entered the war in order to keep the Union together, only later did he decided to shed light on the issue of the slavery because he believed the war was missing a moral backbone. The Proclamation granted freedom to all slaves in Confederacy territories still in rebellion. However, this did not apply to the border states, in order to keep them from leaving the Union. After a victory at the Battle of Antietam, President Lincoln decided that it was the perfect opportunity to issue the Proclamation. By releasing it after a Union victory, the North would seem coordinated, rather than desperate. In December 1863, Lincoln offered a reinstatement of Southern states known as the Ten Percent Plan. It stated that any state could become part of the Union once again, but only if if ten percent of the white male population in the south took an oath, which included that under the name of God, they would faithfully defend the Constitution and Union of the U.S.. In Addition, Lincoln was sure to include that, under the plan, all southerners would have to support the emancipation of

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