Why did Calhoun believe that South Carolina had the right to nullify the tariff?

Answer 1

Calhoun believed that South Carolina had the right to nullify the tariff because he argued that states, as sovereign entities, had the authority to reject Federal Laws they deemed unconstitutional or harmful to their interests. He contended that the tariff disproportionately benefited Northern manufacturers at the expense of Southern economies, particularly agriculture. Calhoun's views were rooted in the concept of states' rights, which maintained that states could determine the constitutionality of federal actions. This belief was a central aspect of his defense of Southern interests during the tariff disputes of the early 19th century.