<span>In the United States, the Black Codes were
laws passed by Southern states in 1865 and 1866, after the Civil War.
These laws had the intent and the effect of restricting African
Americans' freedom, and of compelling them to work in a labor economy
based on low wages or debt.</span>
Because western democracies wanted to avoid war at all costs, wanted peace, hoped that a strong Germany would stop growth of communist Russia, wanted to avoid foreign affairs or felt it was not their business.
