Federalists, Anti-federalist, and Republican Debate Essay

The creation of the Constitution was the result of lengthy discussions and negotiations, and even after its completion, some delegates remained unhappy with it. The task of resolving the issues of the struggling Confederation was not yet complete; each state needed to ratify, or approve, the Constitution. The population was generally divided into two groups, the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. Both of their perspectives are worth considering, as they both have valid reasoning.

The Anti-Federalists were opposed to the ratification of the Constitution for several reasons.

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• They believed that it gave too much power to the federal government at the expense of state control.
• They were also concerned that there was no bill of rights to protect individual freedoms. Another issue was that the government could maintain an army during times of peace.
• Additionally, they thought that the legislature had too much power due to the necessary and proper clause, and that the executive branch held too much authority.

The absence of a bill of rights was considered the most significant criticism among the various objections raised. The American people had recently fought a war to defend their rights and they were apprehensive of the federal government possibly infringing upon those rights once again. The necessity of a bill of rights became the focal point of the Anti-Federalist opposition to ratification.

The Federalists, however, presented rebuttals to all of the concerns raised by the Anti-Federalists:

• They argued that the division of powers into three separate branches would protect the rights of the people.
• Each branch would represent different segments of the population, and since all three branches would be equal, no one group could assume control over the others.
• They also argued that having a specific list of rights could be dangerous.

If the national government were only obligated to protect those specific rights, what would stop it from infringing upon other unlisted rights?

In general, the Federalists were more organized in their efforts. By June of 1788, the Constitution was ready for ratification. To achieve this, the Federalists agreed that once the assembly met, they would propose a bill of rights. Interestingly, the Bill of Rights was not originally a part of the Constitution, but it has since been recognized as crucial in protecting the rights of the people. (Elazar, 2001)

Republicanism is a political philosophy that advocates governing a nation as a republic with an emphasis on freedom, rule of law, shared power, and civic participation. It typically opposes aristocracy, oligarchy, and despotism. At its core, republicanism seeks to establish a political system that safeguards individual freedom through a rule of law that is not subject to arbitrary interference by the government.

Scholars often explore the question of what kind of civic engagement and behavior is necessary for a republic to thrive, with a consensus emerging around the importance of extensive citizen participation, civic virtue, and resistance to corruption. Proponents of republicanism argue that it requires a citizenry that values civic virtue and opposes corruption, and that public officials should not use their positions for personal gain.

While some autocracies have labeled themselves as republics, they typically do not uphold the rights and freedoms of their citizens. (Heideking, 2005)

References

1. Elazar, Daniel J. Exploring Federalism. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press, 2001.
2. Heideking, JÜrgen, James A. Henretta, and Peter Becker, eds. Republicanism and Liberalism in America and the German States, 1750-1850. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 2005.

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