Why Were The Radical Republicans Radical?

[Gene C]

They had an agenda, and it wasn't hidden. It was to punish the southern leaders for the death, damage caused by the civil war.
Radicals did not want former southern political leaders participating in local and national government. Would you want to put the people you felt were responsable for the civil war, back in power?

Much (but not all) of the Radicals attutudes towards black people and civil rights was to embarrass and humiliate rich white southern slave owners/politicians and aristocrats.