A Discussion on James Madison’s Views on the Current State of Federalism

This paper is going to ascertain what Madisons view on the current state. Of federalism would be by understanding what federalism and government is. Discovering the intent of the framers of the constitution. Their reasons for establishing a federal system, evaluating. The detailed history of James Madisons career, examining the progression of federalism in American history. Analyze current views of our federal body, and finally compare those views to Madisons.

In order to understand what James Madisons views on federalism. Where it is first necessary to understand what federalism means. The word came into English from the Latin word Foederatus, which means, bound by treaty(Judson 24). The earliest recorded use of the word in English language was by the 17th century puritans. When they spoke of federal theology meaning a covenant between God and the settlers in America (Judson 24). Federalism, as a tool of governing. Was developed in order to link separate states together with a national.

Order in order to pursue effective objectives that are otherwise unobtainable alone. Federalism defined by Nelson A. Rockefeller is a government by which a sovereign people, for their greater progress and protection, yield a portion of their sovereignty to a political system that has more than one center of sovereign power, energy, and creativity (Rockefeller 6). The Federal idea is not a new one. Attempts were made to form leagues in Greece in the 3rd and 4th centuries and also in mediaeval Italy however these attempts where short lived (Dougless 10). Before the United States Constitution, the states existed as independent nations brought together in a confederacy under the Articles of Confederation.

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Confederation was formed during the Revolutionary War in order to bring greater strength between the States in order to fight the British and win independence. Each state had the same number of representatives that met in Congress. There was no Executive, and as a result tension amongst the states grew, particularly over trade issues, and states failed to provide their contributions to the common budget for common services such as defense. To rectify the situation James Madison urged a convention to meet in Annapolis in which specific flaws of the articles could be worked out.

In Madisons words they where to meat in order to consider how far a uniform system in their commercial relations may be necessary to their common interest and permanent harmony (Dougless 32). This convention failed having only twelve delegates from five states attend. As a result of the failed convention, a new convention was called for to deliberate on all measures necessary to cement the union of the states and promote their permanent tranquility and security, which was to assemble on the second Monday in May of 1787 in Philadelphia (Dougless 33).

On the eve of the Philadelphia Convention, Madison composed a document entitled Vices of the political system of the United States. It was a distillation of all the experiences and thought of the past seven years of Confederation. The first vice he listed was the Failure of the States to comply with the Constitutional requisitions (Riker 78).

Also included where Encroachment by the states on the federal authority, Trespasses of the States on the rights of each other, want of sanction to the laws, and of coercion in the Government of the Confederacy, Want of ratification by the people of the articles of Confederation, Multiplicity of laws in the several States, and mutability of the laws of the States (Riker 78). Madison believed that a union should counter these vices by delegating more power to the center, this was evident in Madisons Virginia Plan that he introduced at the Philadelphia convention.

At the Philadelphia Convention James Madison proposed to throw out the articles and completely start of from scratch by authoring a new form of government he called the Virginia Plan. Delegates at the convention agreed with Madison that a new government should be formed but they disagreed on how the government should function. Some delegates believed that a republican government could only be secured in a small state and that any larger state must inevitable become impartial and tyrannical (Dougless 33).

Madison wanted to replace the several states with a strong national government. His understanding was influenced by the explanations of Montesquieu who had tried to describe how unitary governments worked a single figure, a king, who was in charge of the Executive; a representative.

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