Abraham Lincoln was first elected to the Illinois state legislature in 1834. As a legislator, Lincoln was an ardent supporter of the Whig Party’s economic program. This progressive agenda including:

• Nationalizing the money supply by replacing the gold standard with a national paper currency
• Raising protective tariffs (i.e., taxes) on imports
• Using taxpayer money to finance “internal improvements” (i.e., government projects to build roads, bridges, canals and railroads)

The "American System"

The Whig program was known as "the American System." While it aimed to create a strong, centralized government that could regulate economic development, it ultimately introduced corruption, monopoly and special interest bias to American politics.

As a young politician, Lincoln idolized Whig Congressman Henry Clay, who was the greatest champion of "the American System." Lincoln also sought to be the "DeWitt Clinton of Illinois." Clinton was the New York governor who had orchestrated the taxpayer-funded construction of the Erie Canal. The canal was hailed as a magnificent achievement, but whether or not it was worth the price was questionable because the advent of the railroad less than a decade later made the canal obsolete.

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