Critique the following constitutional provision protecting the property of slave owners. What would be an advantage of this policy? “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.”
a. States retain the power to decide what taxes will be paid to the federal government, thus increasing state autonomy.
b. The national government assesses taxation on an equal basis, regardless of state population size.
c. Identifying enslaved people as property ensures that Southern slave states remain part of the Union.
d. Taxes are divided on an equal basis regardless of race, ensuring taxation is fair.
c. Identifying enslaved people as property ensures that Southern slave states remain part of the Union.
An advantage of this policy is that it helps to maintain unity and prevents the potential secession of Southern slave states. By counting enslaved individuals as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of representation, it gives these states additional political influence and helps to alleviate their concerns regarding the balance of power between slave and non-slave states. This provision may mollify slave owners and encourage their continued participation in the Union, thus avoiding the possibility of further division and conflict.