Aristotle's Legacy in the Federalist Papers
While the government of the United States owes its existence to the contents and careful thought behind the Constitution, some attention must be given to the contributions of a series of essays called the Federalist Papers towards this same institution. Espousing the virtues of equal representation, these documents also promote the ideals of competent representation for the populace and were instrumental in addressing opposition to the ratification of the Constitution during the fledgling years of the United States. With further reflection, the Federalists, as these essays are called, may in turn owe their existence, in terms of their intellectual underpinnings, to the writings of the philosopher
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When examining selections from Aristotle's teachings or the Federalist Papers, the one common element that is clear is that the authors of these works sought the same goal. That goal was to create a practical and rational outline of a better way of life for those who would seek it. That such an outline would be so necessary or that any one person would presume to be qualified to compose such a treaty, particularly when mankind claims exclusivity as the enlightened, civilized, and intelligent species of the planet, reveals a certain degree of conceit. If conceit is the charge towards Aristotle, or Hamilton, or the other authors of the Papers, then Madison or Hamilton (it is unclear to scholars which man is responsible for the following passage) refutes this charge quite …show more content…
But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.”
As to the question of what influence Aristotle may have had on the architects of the Federalist Papers, it seems clear that at the very least, his writings contain ideas that are in no small way shared by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay. While it is always debatable as to the extent of influence the Federalist Papers had in the final success of the ratification of the new constitution, they remain a crucial element in the understanding of the Constitution of the United States and provide a stable foundation from which Constitutional interpretation and study can be
The first guard against tyranny was federalism which means a compound government.In James Madison's quote in Document A it says "In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided
Within the pages of One United People: The Federalist Papers and the National Idea, author Ed Millican dissects not only The Federalist piece by piece, but scrutinizes numerous works of other authors in regards to the papers written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. As a result, a strong conclusion asserts that the motives of The Federalist was to create a sturdy nation-state but above all, that American polity is far more complex than pluralism and a free-market economy.
One’s ability to analyze the motives of the Framers necessitates some understanding of the sense of national instability instilled in the US its first form of government, the Articles of Confederation in granting little power to the central government; in particular, focusing on the economic turmoil and it’s effects on the Framers. In his analysis of America in the Articles, Beard comprehensively summarizes the failures of the Articles as compromising to the “national defense, protection of private property, and advancement of commerce,” (Beard, 36) in the US. Additionally, Beard utilizes these indisputable truths to establish a case for what he believes to be the self-interested influences that urged the Framers to craft an undemocratic Constitution. As Beard puts it, the state centered control of the US under the Articles caused the economic
The Federalist papers were for the constitution being ratified. They were written by James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton. They consisted of 85 articles and essays. Most of them were published between 1787 and 1788 although; the author’s names were kept a secret until 1818. Hamilton decided to sign the papers “Publius” to keep his name anonymous. Hamilton was the first to publish an essay and soon picked Madison and Jay to assist him. To their surprise, the Federalist papers influenced many of the New York people to vote for having the constitution ratified. On the contrary, the Anti-Federalist papers did not agree entirely with the new Constitution. They were written by many different authors. Although, some of the more popular Anti-Federalists were Patrick Henry, John Hancock, Sam Adams, etc. They were also 85 Anti-Federalist papers. Much like the federalist papers, they Anti-Federalists adopted the name “Brutus”.
Supporters of the Constitution called themselves Federalists, a name referring to a balance of power between the states and the national government. They argued for a federal system as in the Constitution. James Madison claimed that the Constitution was less dangerous that it looked because the separation of powers protected people from tyrannical abuse. The Federalists compile a group of essays, known as The Federalist Papers. In No. 51, Madison insisted that the division of powers and they system of checks an balances would protect Americans from the tyranny of centralized authority. He wrote that opposite motives among government office holders were good, and was one of the advantages of a big government with different demographics. In No. 10, he said that there was no need to fear factions, for not enough power would be given to the faction forming people; thus, they wouldn't become tyrannical. Hamilton, in No. 84, defended the Constitution with the case that the Constitution can be amended by representatives, who are there to represent the citizens' interests.
Federalist Papers 10 and 51 served to explain the union as a safeguard against factions and insurrection and to explain how the structure of this new union must encompass the ability to furnish proper checks and balances between the different departments within itself respectively. These articles contain absolutely no higher meaning concerning Plato’s beliefs of the True, Good and the Beautiful. The articles are merely rhetoric used to rationalize the benefits of a new system, explain how the new union will be constructed and most crucial to the essays, sway public opinion to support the ratification of the new constitution.
The Union had twenty states on its side including five that were slave states. That meant that they were able to put up a mass number of Army from each state. When the war came, the North had a total population of twenty-two million people of which 1.3 million were industrial workers. Whereas, the South only had nine million people with 110,000 industrial works. But many Southern counties had a majority of non-white persons, slaves, which were not drafted into the war effort other than looking after agricultural enterprises. Especially in South Carolina, white population was outnumbered by slaves by approximately 100,000. Before start of the war and during the course of war, immigration remained steady in both Union and the Confederacy.
James Madison: The Federalist No. 51, The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks and Balances Between the Different Departments; Feb. 1788
...n his volunteer-troops, rather than an “exceptionally well drilled and experienced army.” The Civil War required a “quickly improvised…realistic standard for mid-nineteenth century America.” Which, as Griffith points out, they either did “ineffectively or reverted to outdated tactics disastrously.” The developments of technology certainly had a very large role in the way the war was fought but what truly caused the shift from Napoleonic to modern warfare was the fact that America was not Europe and the battle was for a cause much more powerful than land acquisition and discourse with another nation, but rather ideological dissonance within. Both authors analyzed how the United States’ differed from the countries across the Atlantic in order to provide some explanation regarding the nature of the Civil War and why it took so many lives before it came to an end.
In creating the Constitution, the states had several different reactions, including a rather defensive reaction, but also an understanding reaction. As a document that provided the laws of the land and the rights of its people. It directs its attention to the many problems in this country; it offered quite a challenge because the document lent itself to several views and interpretations, depending upon the individual reading it. It is clear that the founders’ perspectives as white, wealthy or elite class, American citizens would play a role in the creation and implementation of The Constitution.
Popular artist began to record songs that reflected people’s disapproval overt the war and eventually became a new method of protest.
With such high numbers of adolescents falling below basic in reading, illiteracy is a battle that must be fought head on. The largest dilemma with the struggle is the number of variations that cause adolescents to become reluctant, unmotivated or struggling readers. Fortunately, a large number of strategies exist to encourage and strengthen readers of all ages, proving that adolescence is not a time to give up on faltering students. Rather, it is a time to evaluate and intervene in an effort to turn a reluctant reader into an avid one (or near enough). Ultimately, educators must learn to properly assess a student’s strengths and weaknesses (Curtis, 2009) and pair them with the proper intervention techniques. If one method does not work, countless others exist to take its place.
Serafini, Frank, and Cyndi Giorgis. Reading Aloud and Beyond: Fostering the Intellectual Life with Older Readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2003. Print.
During the birth of the new nation, the Founding Fathers sought to construct a system of checks and balances which were catalyzed by the common fear of tyrannical government and based upon the ideologies of the Enlightenment. In 1787, while the infant nation was wobbling on the weak footings of the Articles of Confederation, the Constitutional Convention was adjourned and disputes around power and representation mustered new plans for the future. Although the Convention intended to revise and rework the Articles, James Madison, alongside...
Australia is a Constitutional Monarch with Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain as head of state. Politically the country is structured after the British and American model as a liberal democracy. The constitution created in 1901 “gives the Federal Government power over defense, foreign affairs, trade and commerce, taxation, customs and excise duties, pensions, immigration and postal services while other powers are held by the states” (“Australia’s Political Structure,” 2011). Furthermore, Australia consist a lower and upper house. The lower house, the House of Representatives, holds 150 members each elected in for a three-year term (“Australia’s Political Structure,” 2011). The upper house, the Senate, holds 76 members who have been directly elected through proportional representation for a six-year term (“Austral...