Beyond the capacity of any man: Christopher Gustavus Memminger and the financial programs of the Confederate States of America.

详细信息   

• 作者：Mahoney ; Michael John.
• 学历：Master
• 年：2009
• 导师：Huston, James L.,eadvisorPetrin, Ronald A.ecommittee memberByrnes, Joseph F.ecommittee member
• 毕业院校：Oklahoma State University
• Department：History
• ISBN：9781109618228
• CBH：1474047
• Country：USA
• 语种：English
• FileSize：458367
• Pages：113

文摘

Scope and Method of Study. The purpose of this study was to argue that the scope and talent needed to pursue an effective financial policy within the Confederacy was beyond the capacity of any man. This study also provides a partial defense of Secretary of the Treasury Christopher Gustavus Memminger. Primary source research was largely dependent on Christopher Gustavus Memmingers government documents. The secondary material follows the works of J.C. Schwab The Confederate States of America 1901), Richard Cecil Todd Confederate Finance 1954), and Douglas B. Ball Financial Failure and Confederate Defeat 1991). Findings and Conclusions. The Confederacys economic structure was too primitive for a sophisticated financial policy. A lack of paper and complex financial machinery saw economic programs move slowly. A small number of wealthy planters held disproportionate influence in southern economic affairs. Southern economic isolation engendered by the Union blockade disrupted the cotton market. Southerners rigorously opposed taxation that was essential to providing a legitimate source of revenue to meet interest payments. Taxes made up just 4 percent of the Confederacys total revenue. Memmingers financial wisdom was constantly at odds with southern states rights, agrarian political ideology. Moreover, Memmingers early financial schemes toed the party line, and radiated the same optimistic expectations as the rest of Congress. Though Memminger fought hard to establish heavy taxes in 1863, it was too late.