Federalists Vs. Antifederalists

Federalists Vs. Antifederalists

1. Introduction

1. In the US, two political factions are known as Federalists and Antifederalists.
2. The Federalist vs. Antifederalist debate was one of the most critical debates in American history.
3. The Federalist vs. Antifederalist debate started when Congress met in Philadelphia in 1787 and continued until 1788.
4. Alexander Hamilton and James Madison brought the proposal for a new constitution at this meeting.
5. Thesis Statement: This paper aims to present an analysis of The Federalist vs. Antifederalist paper, which is an interesting topic to consider because it relates to one's views on politics and politics in general.

II. Federalists

1. The Federalist Party supported a strong central government, whereas the Antifederalists supported a weak central government.

1. The Federalists believed the new Constitution would strengthen the government and make it more efficient.

2. The Federalists argued that the new Constitution would help prevent state governments from abusing their power (Borowiak, 999).

1. They believed that if the government had too much power over individual citizens, it could become corrupt and oppressive.

III. Antifederalists

1. The Antifederalists believed the new Constitution would weaken the federal government, leading to anarchy and chaos.

1. The Antifederalists believed that a strong central government would take away many of our freedoms and make them unequal citizens

2. They also argued that too much power in Washington meant they would not have enough power over other parts of our lives.

IV. Similarities

1. The Federalist and Antifederalist parties were a part of the Revolutionary War as they represented their respective states and wanted different things for the country.

1. They both believed the Constitution should be interpreted according to its original intent rather than what they believe should be done today.

2. Both sides agreed that only Congress had the authority to tax, regulate trade, and make laws for regulating interstate commerce.

V. Impact of the Two Factions

1. The Federalists were considered to be in support of the new government, whereas the Antifederalists opposed it.
2. These two factions were mighty during our nation's early days because they significantly impacted the outcome of various issues (Cornell, 1150).

1. The Federalists used their power and influence to help pass several important pieces of legislation.

2. The Antifederalists also used their power to stop some bills from being passed by Congress.

VI. Opinion

1. The federalists make more sense because they were trying to create a political union

1. The federalists wanted to create a strong central government that would be able to deal with many different problems in the future.

2. The antifederalists wanted states' rights and were against creating a robust national government at all costs (Agnew, 520).

VII. Conclusion

1. The Federalist vs. Antifederalist is discussed in several articles, but the conclusion is always the same.
2. The Federalists believed that the federal government had more power than the state governments
3. The Antifederalists believed that states should have more power than the federal government. 

Works Cited

Agnew, J. (2021). Anti-federalist federalism: American “populism” and the spatial contradictions of US government in the time of Covid-19. Geographical Review, 111(4), 510-527.

Borowiak, Craig T. "Accountability debates: The federalists, the anti-federalists, and democratic deficits." The Journal of Politics 69.4 (2007): 998-1014.

Cornell, Saul. "Aristocracy Assailed: The Ideology of Backcountry Anti-Federalism." The Journal of American History 76.4 (1990): 1148-1172.