The Federalist Papers

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Convincing people that change can be good is an extremely difficult task, especially following periods of turmoil such as the bloody break-away from Great Britain. Americans were wary, ready to attack any system of government that threatened their liberties. This distrust is what gave way to the loose agreement, the articles of confederation. At this point in our history, the nation functioned as 13 states whose power was derived from themselves instead of from a centralized government. It wasn’t until after the constitution was ratified that these states began to function as a union, getting the states to vote was another battle in itself. Seeing the need to convince the people about the benefits of working in unity, Hamilton, Madison and Jay created the documents known as the federalist papers. Their arguments centered around demonstrating the need for a unified government capable of defending its citizens (from both internal and international threats) and building prosperous relations with other nations. Madison’s argument for the ratification of the constitution was based off his belief that factions posed an imminent threat to the stability of small, state-run governments. "By a faction, I understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or a minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adversed to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community." Bigger populations made it harder for factions with selfish interests to prosper, he supported the idea of “pluralism” in government. These issues demonstrate the need for a government that would be able run without unlimited power, a government with separate branches that could intervene whenever the other overstepped its boundaries. This checks and balances system is what would prevent tyranny and allow the nation to prosper. Given that the population had just experienced living under the rule of an unjust monarch, the idea of a central government was unappealing. The opposition was visible in the reluctant rate at which each state ratified the constitution.

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