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.”
[] 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.
[] 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.
Critique:
This constitutional provision perpetuates the institution of slavery by counting enslaved individuals as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of taxation and representation. It dehumanizes and marginalizes enslaved people, treating them as property rather than as human beings deserving of rights and protections. This provision perpetuates the inequality and injustice of slavery, reinforcing the power and privilege of slave owners.
Advantage:
One potential advantage of this policy is that it allowed for an agreement between Northern and Southern states on the issue of representation and taxation, helping to prevent a potential split in the Union over the issue of slavery. By counting enslaved individuals as three-fifths of a person, it provided a compromise that allowed for the formation and preservation of the United States as a unified nation.