Perceptions of the Past: The Merging of Economic Analysis, Cultural Identity, and Literature

Abstract

This essay looks at the economic influences on the origins of the American Civil War. In order to go beyond purely econometric studies, an analysis of William Faulkner’s novel Absalom, Absalom! is used to introduce and expand the discussion of how the economies of the North and South tie in with and influence the social structures of both sides. In the end, the essay reflects on the role that academic study itself plays in the shaping of history, calling into question the ability of ever getting the “real war” into the books.