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Antifederalist

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The Anti Federalists

The Supporters of the Proposed Constitution Called Themselves Federalists

They favored the creation of a strong federal government that shared power with the states federalist’s policies, emphasized commercial and diplomatic harmony with Britain, domestic order and stability and a strong national government under powerful executive and judicial branches. Their new solutions were a significant change of political beliefs in that period.

Federalist paper 10 is thought of as the most famous and important federalist paper. Madison wrote about the problems with factions and interest groups. A common fear for the new government was that small groups or factions would compromise the integrity and stability of the government. Madison suggests a plan for a democracy that allows a vote per person, but also states the use of a republic, where citizens vote for delegates to make decisions for them. This is our modern day Congress, representative democracy. “A pure democracy can admit no cure for the mischief’s of faction. A common passion or interest will be felt by a majority, and there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party. Hence it is, that democracies have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have, in general, been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.” They see this as a way to protect from minority factions taking over the government but also as way to protect minority opinion rights. The delegates would make decisions but would also have to negotiate, so that no one faction, or corrupt politician, could control the government. Hamilton believed that if the people directly empowered the central government, it would provide the strongest protection to their civil rights against state governments that may not be able to act in favor of the

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