Do Governments Have the Right or Power to Dictate Morals?

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Recommended: Slavery in American society

There has been an ongoing debate throughout history about whether or not governments, through the social contract, have the right or the power to dictate morals, specifically the morality of slavery. Do governments have the power to tell their constituents what they can or cannot believe in or practice? If they have this power what will stop them from becoming tyrannical?
In the Constitution of the United States of America, slavery is endorsed, even protected through the Fugitive Slave clause found in Article IV Section 2 Clause 3, and the furthering of the importation of slaves in Article I Section 9 Clause 1. Slaves were also protected as property to broaden votes in the south through the Three-Fifths Compromise in Article I Section 2 Clause 3. Slavery was protected for the economic good of the people and communities and for the good of the Union. When the thought of abolishing slavery reached the southern states uprisings were inescapable. However, through history those who enslave others live in constant fear of those they enslave. Living in this fear, along with constant reminders to the slaves of who was boss, helped repel riots. A famous slave rebellion in American history is the Nat Turner rebellion in 1831 as he and his accomplices together killed over 50 whites before being stopped and put to death (Andrews). By making examples of those who rebel it kept the other slaves in check and forced them to continue to do the work that the masters could not, in their sight see accomplished in any other way. When the government tried to change the status quo they sent the country into one of the darkest periods of our history, the Civil War. In the course of the Civil War there were estimated 1,100,000 and it cost over 620,000 li...

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Works Cited

Andrews, Evan. "7 Famous Slave Revolts." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 15 Jan. 2013. Web. 19 Oct. 2013. .
"Civil War Statistics." Civil War Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2013. .
Constitution of the United States of America.
Giddings, Paula. When and Where I Enter: The Impact of Black Women on Race and Sex in America. Pp. 17-31. 1984. Print.
Independent Lens. STRANG FRUIT. The Film | PBS. “PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 26 July 2011.
Plessey v. Fergeson. Supreme Court. 18 May 1896. Oyez. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.
“Prohibition.” 2013. The History Channel website. Oct 19, 2013, 12:27 http://www.history.com/topics/prohibition.
The Slaughterhouse Cases. Supreme Court. 14 Apr. 1873. Oyez. Web. 19 Oct. 2013.

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