The Ferocious Fight Over The Constitution: Anti-Federalist vs. Federalist
The year of 1787: the Constitutional Convention is held to discuss the errors of the current government, the Articles of Confederation. The government was falling apart in eyes of the elites, with financial and social controversy still rising. Through these problems, the Constitutional Convention breathed life into a famous document; the Constitution. However not everybody supported the document that would reshaped the American government like nothing ever before it. There was two opposing groups during the adoption of the Constitution: The Anti-federalists, who were against the constitution, and the Federalists, who were for it. The Anti-federalists were generally …show more content…
With this attitude of being ‘true’ Federalists, while the aristocracy ‘pretended’ to be Federalists, there was indubitable hatred and mockery towards the aristocrats. Thoughts varying on their desire for consent of the governed and insistence that no detail of this government be omitted or neglected. As firm believes in Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, they believed aristocracy to be one of the roots of tyranny, finding “them to be the base remains of two ancient tyrannies.” The Anti-federalist mockery reaching its zenith as they pretend to defend the Constitution’s proposed government as a “monarchical, aristocratical democracy.” The Anti-federalists felt very strongly about their need and desire for civil liberties, as they were scared of another monarch taking over them, the likes of which they recently defeated in the Revolutionary War. In particular, they feared the proposed president, believing he could easily become a monarch, and should not have as much power as suggested under the Constitution. However even without a monarch, they were very wary of the Federalists trying to overpower them, …show more content…
For the Federalists: John Locke, and Thomas Hobbes. The Anti-federalists took many marks from Thomas Paine, particularly his document Common Sense. He parted onto them that government is indeed, “even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.” Thomas Paine also cemented their ideas of elected politicians should have no differing opinion than of the electors, thus ensuring rule by the common man’s will. However especially during the Revolutionary War, it was a well very well received document as it discussed the separation between England and the colonies. Rousseau was another leader the Anti-federalists of whom they took cues from. Rousseau was known to have a more complacent view on man in nature, believing people were born free, and the only chains on man are that of government. Their writings also included discussion that government, if not following the people’s will, should be broken as it means the social contract between government and people has been severed. However it is no surprise that Rousseau and Thomas Paine has many similar points, as Common Sense was inspired by Rousseau’s writings. The Federalists, much like the Anti-federalists, took inspiration from previous political philosophers: John Locke, Baron Montesquieu, and Thomas Hobbes. The thought of consent of
The year of 1787: the Constitutional Convention is held to discuss the errors of the current government, the Articles of Confederation. The government was falling apart in eyes of the elites, with financial and social controversy still rising. Through these problems, the Constitutional Convention breathed life into a famous document; the Constitution. However not everybody supported the document that would reshaped the American government like nothing ever before it. There was two opposing groups during the adoption of the Constitution: The Anti-federalists, who were against the constitution, and the Federalists, who were for it. The Anti-federalists were generally …show more content…
With this attitude of being ‘true’ Federalists, while the aristocracy ‘pretended’ to be Federalists, there was indubitable hatred and mockery towards the aristocrats. Thoughts varying on their desire for consent of the governed and insistence that no detail of this government be omitted or neglected. As firm believes in Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, they believed aristocracy to be one of the roots of tyranny, finding “them to be the base remains of two ancient tyrannies.” The Anti-federalist mockery reaching its zenith as they pretend to defend the Constitution’s proposed government as a “monarchical, aristocratical democracy.” The Anti-federalists felt very strongly about their need and desire for civil liberties, as they were scared of another monarch taking over them, the likes of which they recently defeated in the Revolutionary War. In particular, they feared the proposed president, believing he could easily become a monarch, and should not have as much power as suggested under the Constitution. However even without a monarch, they were very wary of the Federalists trying to overpower them, …show more content…
For the Federalists: John Locke, and Thomas Hobbes. The Anti-federalists took many marks from Thomas Paine, particularly his document Common Sense. He parted onto them that government is indeed, “even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.” Thomas Paine also cemented their ideas of elected politicians should have no differing opinion than of the electors, thus ensuring rule by the common man’s will. However especially during the Revolutionary War, it was a well very well received document as it discussed the separation between England and the colonies. Rousseau was another leader the Anti-federalists of whom they took cues from. Rousseau was known to have a more complacent view on man in nature, believing people were born free, and the only chains on man are that of government. Their writings also included discussion that government, if not following the people’s will, should be broken as it means the social contract between government and people has been severed. However it is no surprise that Rousseau and Thomas Paine has many similar points, as Common Sense was inspired by Rousseau’s writings. The Federalists, much like the Anti-federalists, took inspiration from previous political philosophers: John Locke, Baron Montesquieu, and Thomas Hobbes. The thought of consent of