Significance of Anti-Federalist Papers

The Anti-Federalist Papers of 1787 are a crucial critique of the Constitution that was soon to be ratified. Written anonymously by authors who sought to conceal their identities, these papers played a vital role in identifying the shortcomings of the developing Constitution. Despite the appearance of being regressive due to their opposition to the new Constitution, the authors' criticisms ultimately led to significant improvements in the document.

Brutus, the author of Anti-Federalist Paper number eighty-four, among others, argued that the Constitution lacked foresight and failed to consider the needs of future generations. According to Brutus, if the Constitution were to provide for the well-being of future generations, the rights of individuals would not need to be protected.

The Constitution failed to recognize that individuals, in a natural state, are always seeking their own self-interest, potentially posing a danger to others. Brutus feared that without proper governance, the strong would overpower the weak, and the Constitution needed to protect future generations from potential abuse resulting from breaches of the law.

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The Anti-Federalist Papers served as an alternative voice, pinpointing areas of concern that needed rectification to ensure that the Constitution could protect the interests of all. The papers contributed to introducing fundamental changes to the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, which addressed the concerns raised in Anti-Federalist Paper number eighty-four. The Anti-Federalist Papers represented an independent view that was not influenced by the excitement of adopting a new Constitution.

According to Hamilton, Madison, and Jay (2005, p. 152), the anti-federalist papers highlighted the need for serious consideration of the constitution in development to ensure effective management of the country and its citizens. The proposed constitution, being developed at the time, failed to account for future possibilities and relied too heavily on past stability. Despite some of the anti-federalist papers' assertions seeming illogical at the time, they drew attention to important issues that needed to be addressed to guarantee the stability of future generations.

In anti-federalist paper number eighty-four, Brutus raised concerns about the fundamental rights of citizens, reminding Americans that even brutal regimes needed constitutional backing to prevent violations of citizens' rights. The paper helped to raise awareness that passing a constitution that could infringe upon human rights was a dangerous undertaking. Today, the bill of rights guarantees the rights of American citizens, and its inclusion in the constitution can be traced back to anti-federalist paper number eighty-four.

As stated in the paper, it is important to balance natural freedom with effective administration of a society. The bill of rights restricts those who may benefit from violating others' fundamental rights, thus ensuring a balanced society. Therefore, anti-federalist paper number eighty-four played a significant role in shaping the bill of rights that was eventually adopted in the current constitution.

Reference List

1. Dougherty, KL 2009, ‘An Empirical Test of Federalist and Anti-Federalist Theories of State Contributions, 1775-1783‘ Social Science History, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 47-74.
2. Hamilton, A, Madison, J, & Jay, J 2005 The federalist. Hackett Publishing, New York, NY.
3. Lim, ET 2011, ‘The Anti-Federalist Strand in Progressive Politics and Political Thought’, Political Research Quarterly, vol. 64, no. 4, pp. 68-84.
4. Putz, A 2009, Viewing the Constitution-Making Process – Need, “Danger” and (Non)Sense of a Bill of Rights: A Comparative Analysis of the United States of America and Europe. BoD, New York.
5. Storing, HJ 1981, The Complete Anti-Federalist, Volume 1, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

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