The Real Lincoln The Real Lincoln : A New Look at Abraham Lincoln , His Agenda , and an Unnecessary War is a biography of Abraham Lincoln written by Thomas DiLorenzo in 2002 . Unlike most books on the subject , DiLorenzo ' s presents a severely critical view of Lincoln ' s presidency . In discussing Lincoln ' s legacy , DiLorenzo cites the suspension of habeas corpus , violations of the First Amendment , war crimes committed by generals in the American Civil War , and the expansion of government power . DiLorenzo argues that Lincoln ' s views on race exhibited forms of bigotry that are commonly overlooked today ( See Abraham Lincoln on slavery ) . DiLorenzo also argues that Lincoln instigated the American Civil War not over slavery but rather to centralize power and to enforce the strongly protectionist Morrill Tariff ; similarly , he criticizes Lincoln for his strong support of Henry Clay ' s American System . In the Foreword to DiLorenzo ' s book , Walter E . Williams , a syndicated columnist and professor of economics at George Mason University , backs DiLorenzo ' s case by claiming that " Abraham Lincoln ’ s direct statements indicated his support for slavery , " and adds that he " defended slave owners ’ right to own their property " by supporting the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 . Reception and Criticisms . Reviewing for " The Independent Review " , Professor Richard M . Gamble noted that DiLorenzo ’ s book " manages to raise fresh and morally probing questions " and that it " exposes Lincoln ’ s embarrassing views on race , his ambition for economic nationalism , his rewriting of the history of the founding of the nation , his cavalier violation of constitutional limits on the presidency , and his willingness to wage a barbaric total war to achieve his ends " . However Gamble also notes that " The Real Lincoln " " is seriously compromised by careless errors of fact , misuse of sources , and faulty documentation " which taken all together " constitute a near - fatal threat to DiLorenzo ’ s credibility as a historian . " Ken Masugi of the Claremont Institute in National Review wrote that " DiLorenzo frequently distorts the meaning of the primary sources he cites , Lincoln most of all . " Masugi provides the following example : Masugi further asserts that DiLorenzo failed to recognize " a disunited America might have become prey for the designs of European imperial powers , which would have put an end to the experiment in self - government . " Masugi himself , however , fails to offer evidence that Lincoln feared any such consequence of the South ' s secession , which would have been seen , by its logistics alone , as a military absurdity . According to DiLorenzo , Masugi is selective in his presentation about Lincoln and " relies entirely on a few of Lincoln ’ s prettier speeches , ignoring his less attractive ones as well as his actual behavior . " One of DiLorenzo ' s core conclusions , in fact , is that Lincoln used his considerable skills at weaving rhetoric to camouflage his true intentions and mask his actual behavior . He further retorted that " Harry Jaffa and his followers at the Claremont Institute and elsewhere " had responded to the publication of " The Real Lincoln " by " screeching and carrying on like a colony of baboons that has just spotted a panther " .