A Succint Summary of the Federalist vs. Anti-Federalist Conflict
Firstly, the Federalists, who included Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, believed in a strong central government that could “execute” the law and develop the country’s international relations . They believed that a central government would be better equipped to protect individual rights, such as property and free speech, than state governments (Madison, Federalist #51). On the other hand, the Anti-Federalists believed in a decentralized government with power distributed among the states, something similar to the modern-day European Union. They feared that a strong central government could lead to the government becoming tyrannical.
Secondly, the Federalists believed that the Constitution was a leap towards creating a strong government for the USA. They saw it as a means to promote national unity and protect the nation's interests. With the constitution ratified, they believed that the central (federal) government would be more effective in protecting an individuals rights. Unlike the federalists, the anti- federalists believed that the constitution would create a central government that would become too powerful, and therefore, tyrannical. They cited a lack of a “Bill of Rights”, which they believed would protect individual freedoms. Furthermore, the anti-federalists criticized the constitution for giving too much power to the federal government, which in turn, takes away power from the people.
Lastly, the Federalists were mostly merchants, urban businessmen, and wealthy landowners who wanted a strong central government to promote economic growth. This would be done, by regulating trade and commerce. Furthermore, they believed, that because of the power the government would posses in the terms of the economy, the government would fund all public works, and other projects. Additionally, they believed that a central government would be able to easily pay off the countries debts and stabilize it’s economy during the times of economic turmoil. The Anti-Federalists, on the hand, were mostly farmers, small businessmen and rural dwellers who wanted more power for the states and more protection for their economic interests. They believed in the Friedman ideal, which is the belief that the economy shouldn’t be touched by any outside forces, thereby creating a “free market”. They believed in the opposite of the federalists, by suggesting that states should be responsible for their own debts. Looking back at the Federalist and Anti-Federalist economic policies, one can deduce that they are very similar to the 20th century’s primary, yet quite different, economic thoughts, proposed by John Maynard Keynes, and Milton Friedman.
