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The Argument Of The Federalist (Hamilton) Vs AntiFederalist (Jefferson) During The Establishment Of The American Government
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The Argument of the Federalist and Anti-Federalist
Introduction
In late 1787, a spirited debate over the establishment of government between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists which continued through the following years ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"dga9m9zZ","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Eze)","plainCitation":"(Eze)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":27,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/sj6ANS8g/items/NHJS9W7R"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/sj6ANS8g/items/NHJS9W7R"],"itemData":{"id":27,"type":"webpage","title":"The Anti-Federalists and their important role during the Ratification fight - National Constitution Center","container-title":"National Constitution Center – constitutioncenter.org","abstract":"On this day in 1787, the debate over the newly written Constitution began in the press after an anonymous writer in the New York Journal warned citizens that the document was not all that it seemed.","URL":"https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/the-anti-federalists-and-their-important-role-during-the-ratification-fight","language":"en","author":[{"family":"Eze","given":"Ugonna"}],"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",4,26]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Eze). The debate, however, has its genesis in the American Revolution for the ratification of the government. The revolution the ended six years earlier had started against taxation. While the Articles of Confederation, adopted in 1781 was failed to increase the authority of Congress over collecting taxes and regulating trade ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"ffHit174","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Bailey)","plainCitation":"(Bailey)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":25,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/sj6ANS8g/items/INJECN76"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/sj6ANS8g/items/INJECN76"],"itemData":{"id":25,"type":"webpage","title":"The United States Constitution: Federalists v. Anti-Federalists | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History","URL":"https://www.gilderlehrman.org/content/united-states-constitution-federalists-v-anti-federalists","author":[{"family":"Bailey","given":"Tim"}],"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",4,26]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Bailey). The tussle, in fact, clamored for stronger government and helped to spawn several pressure groups. Following are the most important arguments on which the battle started.
Adoption of the Constitutions
The Federalists favored for a strong union and constitution while Anti-federalists opposed the establishment of government and wanted to quite the Article of Confederation. The Federalists were the owners of big property in the North, wealthy merchants, lawyers and judges, clergyman, businessmen and small farmers ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"Trz9fTjD","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Ramos)","plainCitation":"(Ramos)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":15,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/sj6ANS8g/items/GIQNDGYG"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/sj6ANS8g/items/GIQNDGYG"],"itemData":{"id":15,"type":"webpage","title":"Federalists","abstract":"Federalists supported the ratification of the Constitution and compromised by adding a Bill of Rights, including the First Amendment, to the Constitution.","URL":"http://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1184/federalists","language":"en","author":[{"family":"Ramos","given":"Mitzi"}],"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",4,26]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Ramos). Moreover, they wanted to have a stronger centralized government, weaker state government, longer term limits for officeholders, indirect election of government and representative democracy.
The Anti-Federalists strongly opposed the ratification of the constitution as they feared that a strong centralized government might be too powerful that their individual liberty would be threatened. However, for the adoption of the Bill of Rights, the opposition was a significant aspect. In this regard, a ratified constitution was needed to be ratified at least in the nine or more state conventions. While the constitution was drafted at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. For the ratification of the constitution, Federalists published a series of articles that are known as ‘Federalist Papers’.
Anti-Federalist Concerns Over Excessive Power of National Government
The Anti-Federalists include small landowners and farmers, laborers and shopkeepers from the South. They favored a weak central government, short term limits for the officeholders, the direct election of government officials, strengthened individual liberty and accountability by official holders to the popular majority ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"HCXoEm5V","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Herbert J. Storing)","plainCitation":"(Herbert J. Storing)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":21,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/sj6ANS8g/items/6GT5CZWY"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/sj6ANS8g/items/6GT5CZWY"],"itemData":{"id":21,"type":"webpage","title":"The Complete Anti-Federalist - Google Books","URL":"https://books.google.com.pk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=8MO_vGOmQOIC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=Federalist+vs.+Anti-Federalist:+The+Great+Debate+(Complete+Articles+%26+Essays+in+One+Volume):+Words+that+Traced+the+Path+of+the+Nation+-+Founding+Fathers%27+...+and+Arguments+about+the+Constitution&ots=scuy4sMCl9&sig=DDcWH-422h51fqoGy-eR6lHU6Y8#v=onepage&q&f=false","author":[{"family":"Herbert J. Storing","given":""}],"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",4,26]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Herbert J. Storing). To counter Federalist’s campaign, they started publishing articles and delivered a number of speeches against the constitutional ratification. These published articles and speeches are known as ‘the Anti-Federalist Papers’ to distinguish them. Eventually, Melancton Smith, Patrick Henry publicly proclaimed the ratification of the constitution while most of them advocated their stance under pseudonyms.
The Federalist Papers were published in the New York City newspapers with a robust critique of the strong national government. There were a series of eighty-five articles and most of them were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in 1788. They have effectively pronounced their stance for the adoption of the Constitutions.
Federalist Argument for Counterbalancing
The adoption of a strong centralized government and adoption of the constitution has required the separation of powers among the three branches of government for protecting the rights and liberty of the people. As the three branches are equal and do not have control over each other. The lack of individual rights and liberties were, however, challenges, but the Federalists responded that the constitution has not included the Bill of Rights as the new government would not suppress individual rights and liberties. Moreover, the supported their argument by justifying that it is not possible to all the individual rights and liberties. Therefore, it would be better if none of the rights is listed. However, in the end, the Federalist promised to add the specific amendments that protect individual rights and liberties.
Position of Fiscal and Agrarian Policy
The Federalists viewed that fiscal and monetary policies would lead to national weakness and economic struggles. Therefore, they supported central financial policies and central banking. On the other hand, the Anti-Federalists viewed the state as free agents and they need to manage their own state revenue by spending money on policies of their choice ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"3QorNA6c","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Herbert J. Storing)","plainCitation":"(Herbert J. Storing)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":21,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/sj6ANS8g/items/6GT5CZWY"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/sj6ANS8g/items/6GT5CZWY"],"itemData":{"id":21,"type":"webpage","title":"The Complete Anti-Federalist - Google Books","URL":"https://books.google.com.pk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=8MO_vGOmQOIC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=Federalist+vs.+Anti-Federalist:+The+Great+Debate+(Complete+Articles+%26+Essays+in+One+Volume):+Words+that+Traced+the+Path+of+the+Nation+-+Founding+Fathers%27+...+and+Arguments+about+the+Constitution&ots=scuy4sMCl9&sig=DDcWH-422h51fqoGy-eR6lHU6Y8#v=onepage&q&f=false","author":[{"family":"Herbert J. Storing","given":""}],"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",4,26]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Herbert J. Storing). Hamilton pointed out that the US needs to have credit for the operations of governments, commercial activity, and other industrial development. Moreover, there needs to have the support and faith of the people. While many viewed that the national debts need to be repudiated. However, Hamilton put his pressure for payment of the debts and the debts that the states incurred previously during the revolution.
Jefferson, however, encouraged a decentralized agrarian republic and identify the importance of a strong centralized government in terms of foreign relations. But he did not favor the strong government in other areas. Hamilton believed in terms of order and feared anarchy while Jefferson believed in terms of freedom and feared tyranny. However, both the influences were needed to the US, fortunately, both the men were available for the country and successfully reconcile their policies.
The Anti-Federalists modified Hamilton's plan and criticized that it would only benefit the wealthy class and affect the small farmers. However, there were three changes to the plan in debt, tariffs and excise taxes, and the national bank. The debts and would be paid by the national government and the capital of the nation will be established in the South. Moreover, Congress imposed tariffs on the imported goods and pass excise tax. In addition, Hamilton criticized that the permission of elastic clause in the constitution while new laws were put on the National Bank ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"Uct89Qbu","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Wilson)","plainCitation":"(Wilson)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":23,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/sj6ANS8g/items/NSE9F36M"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/sj6ANS8g/items/NSE9F36M"],"itemData":{"id":23,"type":"webpage","title":"The Battle over the Bank: Hamilton v. Jefferson | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History","URL":"https://www.gilderlehrman.org/content/battle-over-bank-hamilton-v-jefferson","author":[{"family":"Wilson","given":"Elise Stevens"}],"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",4,26]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Wilson). The retinal for the agreement was, however, agreed by George Washington.
Pressure for Adoption of Bill Of Rights
To adopt the Bill of rights, Anti-Federalists were pressurized and eventually, Federalists successfully ratified the adoption of Constitutions. But the efforts they put were not complete in vain. Initially, to ensure the passage of the constitution, many Federalists were argued against the necessity of the Bill of Rights and promises were made for the constitutional amendments particular for protecting the individual rights and liberties. During its ratification, Madison brought twelve amendments in 1789, during the First Congress. Out of those amendments, ten were ratified by the states. Though both the Anti-Federalist and Federalist came to compromise which eventually lead to the adoption of the Constitution.
The newly established government emerged in 1792 with the political division within the cabinet. Those who favored Jefferson’s new contradictory deficit spending formed the Jefferson party, while those who favored Hamilton’s aggressive policies formed Federalist Party. The party which was led by James Madison and Jefferson is known to be Democratic-Republican Party or the Republican. Though the Bill of Rights enabled both the party's to reach an agreement for the adoption of the constitution, but this agreement failed to spread into the presidency of George Washington. Their emerged political division within the cabinet in 1792 over the national fiscal policy.
Conclusion
The arguments between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists shaped the history of the US. Both the viewpoints have greatly influenced the contemporary challenges in the politics of the US. However, the adoption of Bill of rights is a vital part of the American constitution. The debates are more frequently debated in the Supreme Court than ever. Above all, it has significantly protected the free speech and protected the citizens from surveillance, and above all a strong political and economic foundation that vitally needed to any government and state. The efforts made by both the Federalist and Anti-Federalist have shaped the meaning of American federalism. Lastly, the rigidity of the constitutional amendments, in fact, made America unique in political spheres.
Works Cited
ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Bailey, Tim. The United States Constitution: Federalists v. Anti-Federalists | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/content/united-states-constitution-federalists-v-anti-federalists. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019.
Eze, Ugonna. “The Anti-Federalists and Their Important Role during the Ratification Fight - National Constitution Center.” National Constitution Center – Constitutioncenter.Org, https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/the-anti-federalists-and-their-important-role-during-the-ratification-fight. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019.
Herbert J. Storing. The Complete Anti-Federalist - Google Books. https://books.google.com.pk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=8MO_vGOmQOIC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=Federalist+vs.+Anti-Federalist:+The+Great+Debate+(Complete+Articles+%26+Essays+in+One+Volume):+Words+that+Traced+the+Path+of+the+Nation+-+Founding+Fathers%27+...+and+Arguments+about+the+Constitution&ots=scuy4sMCl9&sig=DDcWH-422h51fqoGy-eR6lHU6Y8#v=onepage&q&f=false. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019.
Ramos, Mitzi. Federalists. http://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1184/federalists. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019.
Wilson, Elise Stevens. The Battle over the Bank: Hamilton v. Jefferson | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/content/battle-over-bank-hamilton-v-jefferson. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019.
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