The reality of the electoral college. Think on this as 2028 approaches. Most Americans think presidential elections are won by the most citizen votes. When in fact the Electoral College decides. But do you know the history behind this institution & system. Reading this book caused me to do a lot more research.
The Electoral College was designed in 1787 to balance power between Northern states and Southern slave holding states. Because enslaved Black Americans could not vote, but were still counted (partially) for representation, the system gave slave states extra political power in presidential elections.
This is one of the most important — and least discussed — truths about American political architecture.
🧱 Why the Electoral College was created in a slave society
When the Constitution was being drafted, the biggest political fight wasn’t “big states vs small states.”
It was free states vs slave states.
Southern states wanted:
Maximum political power
Protection for slavery
A way to benefit from their large enslaved populations without giving those people rights
Northern states wanted:
A system that didn’t let the South dominate national politics
A compromise that would keep the union together
The Electoral College became the mechanism to satisfy both sides.
🗳️ The early presidency was dominated by slaveholding states
Because of the Electoral College’s structure:
12 of the first 16 presidential elections were won by slaveholders
The “Virginia Dynasty” (Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe) dominated early politics
Policies protecting slavery remained entrenched
This wasn’t an accident.
It was baked into the system.
