The Federalist Papers
Please read the first Fed paper (and any other that catches your attention) by Hamilton (Link is above). Please post a comment to this post that responds to the following queries:
What point is Hamilton making here?
What do you think about his argument?
Please be thoughtful in your comments!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Mrs. Branigan
I think the point that he is making here is that the citizens of the country cannot be forced into the new government. In order for it to be just and for it to work, the people must adopt it of their own free will. He warns that demagogues and men of power will try to sway their opinion and this in not necessarily a bad thing, but citizens must try to make up their own minds.
ReplyDeleteI think his argument is ultimately a pure and just one, as it would be easy for him to try to force people into the new constitution. He is right in that if people are not free to choose then the government will end up just as badly as the government that they just left.
Hamilton begins the first Federalist Paper by posing the idea of a new Constitution. He continues by explaining the inefficiencies of the current state of the government and the need for unity.
ReplyDeleteHamilton wants:
to rid the inefficiency of the current government in hopes of preserving unity
A strong and energetic Government (in response to above)
A Constitution based on Republican ideology
to retain various parts of the NY papers to the new constitution
to protect the rights of everyman in this new Constitution
He is also up for a challenge who are against ratifying the new constitution.
He also continues to urge for unity because the country is huge and needs it.
Lastly he questions the people... do they want to see the US rise or the US fall.
Hamilton is making the point that citizens of the United States have the right to make the decision of whether the government is based on "reflection and choice" or "accident and force". He's saying that if the people don't adopt the Constitution, the government will essentially fall apart.
ReplyDeleteI agree with his argument, because without a unified law, the government would be in complete chaos.
It sounds to me that he's arguing against extremity--rather than people/parties have completely polarizing views, on opposite ends of the spectrum, argued loudly, with absolute conviction, people should allow their opinions to be argued. Thoughts should be more flexible, and politics shouldn't be made of competing, concrete ideas, but be open, flowing, with the possibility of change. It sounds like he would be against a two-party system, thinking people's views should be allowed to encompass more than single, loud ideologies.
ReplyDeleteWhat point is Hamilton making here?
ReplyDeleteAs a general introduction to his numerous Federalist Papers, Hamilton uses the first paper to describe the overall flawed, inefficient, and inconsistency of the subsisting federal government. America, which he describes as perhaps the most "[interesting] empire in the world", may be subject to the common misgiving of nations attempting to form good government through reflection and choice rather than trial and tribulation. He points out that with the new Constitution, certain members of the existing community will lose some power, and those affected may "flatter themselves" to break from its union under one government. Even when men create a document such as the constitution with the most upright intentions, they can still commit honest errors perceived as failure to create equality. Where those "errors" are intentional, they are the offspring of greed and avarice, rarely cured by persecution. The liberty of Americans, which supposedly is bipartisan, must be protected vigorously by the government.
What do you think about his argument?
I think that Hamilton is somewhat correct in his views. Because he opposes people choosing a "faction", he would agree with my personal disgust in the American two-party system. Where Hamilton looks for people to balance their views, compromise with their fellow countrymen, and work to create the best possible decision, the nation can also be subject to party opposition and outer, harmful motives. My personal trust in centralized power leads me to agree that Hamilton's view of Constitution and trust will strengthen the Union.
THe first federalist paper serves to introduce the ideas that will be discussed and presented to the people in the following papers. HAmilton is trying to present concerns abou the formation of the government and the constitution. Hamilton discussed whether certain people would loose power in the formation of this government. Hamilton points out criticism of the government and union and then opposes them with the argument that it is necessary. Hamilton does admit some possible faults of the government as well. I think Hamilton's views are valid because he presents and sees the opposition's opinions and finds some ways to adress them.
ReplyDeleteI think Hamilton is attempting to convince everyone that a new system of government is necessary for the preservation of the Union. He is insisting that while there are flaws in the structure of the Union, the purpose of making a new government is not to systematically strip any class of men of their power, but to make a legitimate attempt to amend the structure of the government so it can lead the diverse Union in the present and future. Hamilton uses a lot of antithesis as the basis of his argument. He lists almost every conceivable criticism that could be broached agains him and his followers and then explains why each of these possible insults is an incorrecta assumption about their cause. I think his argument is pretty effective. Even though, from a modern standpoint, his words seem pretty rambling and redundant, I believe his point was definitely delivered clearly by the end of this primary essay.
ReplyDeleteI think that Hamilton is arguing that Americans have the opportunity to decide what kind of government they want and that they should be able to decide for themselves. The people should not listen to one voice about what kind of government they should have. They should choose a government that they believe is right, not because someone told them to. Hamilton wonders if the people have the ability to choose what kind of government is good and appropriate. He begins to argue that people will refuse to follow the Constitution because it is too strong of a central government. He believes that it is unnecessary for ask for a strong Union when the country itself is too large for a national systems of government. I think that Hamilton does a good job of making his point about choosing a government.
ReplyDeleteHere, Hamilton is outlining the possible criticisms people may aim at those supporting the Constitution. He has yet to really talk about the pro's of his agenda, but is rather countering anything people may use to immediately dismiss his proposal. He concedes many points and in doing so adds depth to his position, making "Publius" believable. I think it is a very effecting way of introducing the papers, giving people reason to actually read what he's trying to say as opposed to them succumbing to the easy counter-arguments his opponents may offer.
ReplyDeletehamilton obviously makes a point that in order for the union to succeed, necessary revisions must be made in which all people have a say in how they are governed; however, he knows that some people will be artificially stripped of their status and he makes the point that in order for the nation as a whole to succeed men of all classes must endure some sort of hardship, rather than acquiesce to their wants and eventually collapse
ReplyDeleteIn Hamilton's first federalist paper he is basically criticizing the current government for all of its flaws and asking to enact a new constitution. He presupposes the objections the American people will have to a new more rigid constitution but he refutes all possible critiques before the document is even drafted. Hamilton's main point is to gather support behind the formation of a new Constitution in the united state of america. I find his argument to be well planned out in his effective way of rebutting all opposition. His introductory into the plan for a reformed government and constitution is overall a well delivered and persuasive preview to the rest of the federalist papers that follow.
ReplyDelete