The Southern Constitution prohibited tariffs, which many have used as a means to show that the South wouldn't be able to have industry due to lack of protections. That's a 1920's-1950's economic argument, and its crap (I mention it because it has been used in academic works evaluating this question in the past). To believe that, you have to believe that tariffs work, and they don't. American industry was not created by high tariffs. It occurred because of close proximity to a wealth of natural resources. Tariffs were only there to line the pockets of the government. So, living in a post-tariff age, we can see that that argument makes no sense, in hindsight.
Oh I beg to differ, but that's an argument for another thread. If you have the time feel free to start it and I will rebut this above quote.
