Lincoln’s Quest for Empire

“Lincoln’s Quest for Empire” refers to a critical, revisionist perspective of 16th U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, portraying him not just as the “Great Emancipator” but as a leader who centralized power, destroyed states’ rights, and transformed the U.S. into a consolidated, industrial empire.

This viewpoint, often highlighted in documentaries and books like Thomas J. DiLorenzo’s, argues that his main goal was to end voluntary unionism, resulting in a bloody war to force the South to remain, rather than just ending slavery.