One of the concerns of the Anti-Federalists is that people would prioritize their own social class. This is one of the reasons they are so concerned with elitism. The Federalists argue that this is not the case, “Is it not natural that a man who is a candidate for the favor of the people and who is dependent on the suffrages of his fellow citizen for the continuance of his public honors should take care to inform himself of their dispositions and inclinations and should be willing to allow them their proper degree of influence upon his conduct?... [There are] strong chords of sympathy between the representatives and the constituent.” (Federalist 37, 219). In other words, why would an elected representative only look out for the interests of
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Federalists argued for a stronger executive, which gives context to why they don’t want the public directly voting for him. However, this doesn’t mean the president is not accountable to the people. The President still has to represent the public good of the country, and promote unity and it is ultimately the people who decide if they think the president is doing a good job or not. The Federalists are more concerned with the accountability of the legislature, which has “intrepid confidence in its own strength; which is sufficiently numerous to feel all the passions which actuate a multitude…” (Federalist 48, 238). People should be more concerned about the accountability of the legislature because according to the Federalists, they are the most likely to abuse …show more content…
One thing in particular they were concerned about was the federal governments right to levy taxes. This was of the upmost concern because, according to the Anti-Federalists, “It is proper to remark, that the authority to lay and collect taxes, is the most important of any power that can be granted; it connects with almost all other powers” (Brutus 1, 111). The power to tax is fundamental to how governments are able to govern. It is the base of all other government functions. The Anti-Federalists thought that the Federal government could potentially “exercise the right of taxation in all its parts” and if this happened the states wouldn’t be able to levy taxes, thus “they [State governments] cannot be supported, and they must dwindle away… their powers absorbed in that of the general government” (Brutus 1, 111). In the end there would just be one federal
Federalists argued for a stronger executive, which gives context to why they don’t want the public directly voting for him. However, this doesn’t mean the president is not accountable to the people. The President still has to represent the public good of the country, and promote unity and it is ultimately the people who decide if they think the president is doing a good job or not. The Federalists are more concerned with the accountability of the legislature, which has “intrepid confidence in its own strength; which is sufficiently numerous to feel all the passions which actuate a multitude…” (Federalist 48, 238). People should be more concerned about the accountability of the legislature because according to the Federalists, they are the most likely to abuse …show more content…
One thing in particular they were concerned about was the federal governments right to levy taxes. This was of the upmost concern because, according to the Anti-Federalists, “It is proper to remark, that the authority to lay and collect taxes, is the most important of any power that can be granted; it connects with almost all other powers” (Brutus 1, 111). The power to tax is fundamental to how governments are able to govern. It is the base of all other government functions. The Anti-Federalists thought that the Federal government could potentially “exercise the right of taxation in all its parts” and if this happened the states wouldn’t be able to levy taxes, thus “they [State governments] cannot be supported, and they must dwindle away… their powers absorbed in that of the general government” (Brutus 1, 111). In the end there would just be one federal