The Economic Power of the Southern States


November 12, 2012 by Cole Cleburne

Although is not a perfect measure of economic power, the number can be used as a matter of comparison between states or in this matter, comparing southern states to other nations.

Many southerners simply cannot see themselves as separate from the union. This notion is based in part on the economic power of the current United States. No matter the fact our nation is in fiscal shambles, the current union still remains an economic powerhouse. How long this continues is a matter of debate, but as it deteriorates, the promise for a free south will continue to rise.

The image above (as taken from ) using 2009 statistics, gives a comparison between U.S. states and nations of the world in economic output. If we look at this list this is where each southern state would rank (also using 2010 data, numbers displayed in millions, and world rank):

1. Texas 1,158,194 (13th) comparable to Russia

2. Florida 734,727 (17th) comparable to the Netherlands

3. Virginia 406,798 (22nd)  comparable to Sweden

4. North Carolina 400,483 (22nd) comparable to Sweden

5. Georgia 396,177 (22nd) comparable to Sweden

6. Tennessee 246,669 (34th) comparable to Finland

7. Missouri 239,649 (34th) comparable to Finland

8. Louisiana 206,525 (38th) comparable to Ireland

9. Alabama 169,459 (43rd) comparable to Nigeria

10. South Carolina 158,487 (48th) comparable to the Phillipines

11. Kentucky 155,734 (48th) comparable to the Phillipines

12. Arkansas 102,219 (55th) comparable to Kazakhstan

13. Mississippi 96,135 (55th) comparable to Vietnam

14. West Virginia 60,491 (64th) comparable to Libya


If the newly independent south were to choose to band together in a new confederation the economic output and power of the south would be enough to rank it as the 4th largest economy in the entire world, just slightly behind Japan and China. As this site progresses I will further break down each state and look at it’s economics as a standalone nation.

13 thoughts on “The Economic Power of the Southern States

  1. Rob't E Lee says:

    If you were to actually compare nations, you need to be using GDP per capita. That’s the only way you can really compare it by standard of living. Would you really claim Mississippi has a standard of living similar to Vietnam?

    Mississippi’s GDP per capita is about 32,276 millions putting it in 28th, equal to Spain.
    Texas on the other hand would be about 45,110 millions, putting it in 19th, just behind Japan.

    • says:

      That’s coming next. I just wanted to look at raw numbers first.

    • will says:

      What about GDP with purchasing power parity (PPP)? I suspect then Mississippi would be higher than Spain.

      • says:

        I haven’t seen those numbers, but I’d be interested to publish them if I did.

  2. says:

    [...] a recent post I examined where southern states would rank as independent nations in terms of GDP. Of course the [...]

  3. says:

    [...] a free people. In a few articles I wrote, I began to lead us down that road in an economic sense. The first looks at the South in sheer GDP terms. The second article compared GDP per capita of Southern [...]

  4. DarthJ says:

    Could you address Federal spending? The Fed’s money affecting the economy of the States? As this is the number 1 objection I’ve heard, as many rebuttals as we can get would be helpful.

    • says:

      Sure, I can do that. I’ll put it on the list of articles. What rebuttals are you getting? What objection do people have? Do you mean the money that the feds send BACK? That that money would be lost?

      • says:

        Mainly they reply that “the North pays more taxes, the South pays less, but the South receives more than they pay in. The South would go bankrupt without Federal money.” I’ve tried to explain that receiving Federal money in itself is not a good thing, and that the South has a lower population and median income, but I don’t know if I’m getting the point across.

  5. says:

    [...] Cleburne, of  The Fire Eater, shows States’ GDPs relative to other, independent countries and as per [...]

  6. Southern woman says:

    Broadening their rhetoric at least to include and welcome educated Southern women might be REAL smart.

    What are the rights of women in the new Dixie? Surely they will have more than were given in the original constitution? Can they run for office? Can they even vote? Or is “barefoot and pregnant” the answer?
    I am saw an article complaining about 20 women senators, and lumping “women” in with “undesirables” according to their rhetoric. So 20 women legislators out of 50 total would be undesirable in the new Dixie? Or just educated women?
    Unless their ideals are based on strict interpretations of “womens place” as in the church. Of course in that case, women who are not willing to be put back into iron-age societal roles might refuse to join their movement, causing husbands to “sin” by leaving wife and kids behind to do so. And does the new Dixie really want such dishonorable men?
    And yes, good Christian women do vote, and might just cross that border back to the “Imperialists” to be assured that right. Even if the folks succeed in seceding, the new Dixie won’t last without women!

    • says:

      Who is the they you speak of?

  7. says:

    [...] The Economic Power of the Southern States. [...]

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