Federalism and Anti Federalism

Federalists and Anti-Federalists worked, debated and compromised for many days, months and years in order to refine our Constitution into what it is today.  Both factions worked hard to have their points and ideals more present in the Constitution.  They disagreed on various topics but they were disagreeing because they wanted to do what was best for the young country.  I believe that the Anti-Federalists ideals on the topics on human nature, the scale of political life and the purpose of government were powerful than the ideals of the Federalists.

            The Anti-Federalists had more faith in the human nature of the common man than the Federalists.  The Anti-Federalists believed that the common man, which accounted for a large majority of the population, were not ambitious and did not want to be bothered with the greed.  The Anti-Federalists believed that the common man did not want to have a hand in politics.  The Anti-Federalists believed that the common man be taught through virtue.  “Moreover, whatever natural tendencies existed toward selfishness and quarrelling could be counteracted through instruction in morality and religion.  Virtue could be taught by republican institutions, laws and customs, and it would grow as citizens participated in the politics of their communities.” (TDD P.36) 

            The Anti-Federalists had less faith in the elites.  It seemed like the Anti-Federalists did not trust the aspirations for power of the elites in America.  “Power they claimed, was intoxicating, especially when the connection between governors and citizens grew distant and the instruments for abuse and corruption were nearby.” (TDD P.36)  Patrick Henry believed that human nature at its worst was not a lawless people; it was “tyranny of rulers.”  The Anti-Federalists would be big opponents of white collar crime in such originations such as Enron, Tyco and WorldCom.  They believed that the elites in these organizations were so power and money hungry that they would put various common citizens through bankruptcy just to make extra multitudes of money.  A modern day Anti-Federalist would be New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.  Attorney General Spitzer fights hard to put an end to and prosecute anyone who commits white collar crime.

            On the other hand the Federalists believed that common man was ignorant and wanted to be against the common good.  The Federalist believed in the ideas of the elites and had no faith in the common man.  A good example to counteract the arguments of the Anti-Federalists was the disaster of hurricane Katrina.  When the Gulf Coast was hit by the storm everything was destroyed and many people left their houses with a good amount of belongings left behind.  After the storm hit various citizens throughout the states of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana raided local shops where they once shopped and stole from their former neighbors.  This would disprove the Anti-Federalists’ stance on human nature.  However the Anti-Federalists could argue that if the elites in the local, state and federal governments were not so corrupt, greedy and power hungry they would have given aid to these citizens in a timely manner.  The Anti-Federalists would believe that the corruption and lack of compassion of the elites led to the corruption of the common person and drove the person to commit such crimes.