MC 111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Anti-Federalism, Liberal Democracy
13 Dec 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Lecture
The anti- federalist critique
➢ The ae iposed o so alled ati feds y thei oppoets, eve though oth of the
federalists and anti- federalists embrace the principle of federalism
➢ Background: not simply the provincial narrowly self-interest politicians Publius changed
they were.
➢ They were indeed major participants in the constitutional debates
➢ The similarities between federalists and anti-federalist:
- Weak human nature was the essential basis of their liberty. None of them were
interest in pure democracy.
- Both sides had a commercial society as the foundation of emerging economy, even if
a few Anti-federalists wanted elements of both civic/political virtue and a
commercial society. Slavery and patriarchy were accepted by anti-feds and feds.
➢ Brutus Critique:
- He feared the prospect of a minority factions not the majority
- He favored a small relatively, simple and homogeneous republic
- Wanted a delegate rather than a trustee as a model of representation
- Bill of rights was needed to maintain the liberty of the new republic
- Anti-feds were pro Bill of rights and they won were as feds were so keen on having
it.
➢ Brutus:
- Separation of powers: within the national government
- The bill of rights is not necessary in the general constitution
→ George Mason: Concerns
- The judiciary of the united states in so constructed and extended as to absorb and
destroy the judiciary of the several states.
- There is no declaration of rights and the laws of the general government being
paramount to the laws of constitutions of the several states, the declarations of
rights in the separate states are no security.
→Implication of our Era:
- Many Americans do not like the current look of the Madisonian constructed
American political structure.
- Logstadig eooi ieuality is udeiig lieal deoay iludig the
political process.
Discussion Section
• Religion and politics is probably not a good idea
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Document Summary
The (cid:374)a(cid:373)e i(cid:373)posed o(cid:374) so (cid:272)alled (cid:862)a(cid:374)ti feds(cid:863) (cid:271)y thei(cid:396) oppo(cid:374)e(cid:374)ts, eve(cid:374) though (cid:271)oth of the federalists and anti- federalists embrace the principle of federalism. Background: not simply the provincial narrowly self-interest politicians publius changed they were. They were indeed major participants in the constitutional debates. Weak human nature was the essential basis of their liberty. None of them were interest in pure democracy. Both sides had a commercial society as the foundation of emerging economy, even if a few anti-federalists wanted elements of both civic/political virtue and a commercial society. Slavery and patriarchy were accepted by anti-feds and feds. He feared the prospect of a minority factions not the majority. He favored a small relatively, simple and homogeneous republic. Wanted a delegate rather than a trustee as a model of representation. Bill of rights was needed to maintain the liberty of the new republic.
