I'm not moderate in the slightest. I think democracy is unsustainable due to the self interested nature of mankind. I believe in a Hobbesian Absolute Monarchy (as most people are too stupid, complacent or ignorant to have an opinion). The US was not dependent on slave labour in the north which was the economic powerhouse of the US. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_history_of_the_United_States Most of the pre and post colonial economy was subsistance farming. Almost all goods grown on plantations were luxury items which most colonists could barely afford at the time with most of the money going into plantation owners pockets. When they spent that money it was used to buy goods from europe .ie very little went back into the economy. But this is the internet so you can't change peoples minds.