Essay about The Threat of the Constitution - 2560 Words

The Threat of the Constitution The fundamental point of contention between the Federalists and anti-Federalists in their debates over ratification of the Constitution surrounded the question of what powers were necessary in order to insure the security of the nation as a whole. The federalists, of course, believed that a strong central government was necessary, for reasons of national security and economic prosperity. The anti-Federalists were strongly opposed to the centralization of power, rather, they were concerned with retaining the sovereignty of the states and, in turn, their secured political freedom. Three issues were the cause of great apprehension to the anti-Federalists upon reading the proposed Constitution -- the†¦show more content†¦One such believer in this potential outcome, the anti-Federalist calling himself Federalist Farmer, offers his interpretation of the positions of power under the new Constitution, comparing them to the English monarchy and Parliament, saying that the new gove rnment consists of three different branches, namely, king, lords, and commons or, in the American language, President, Senate and Representatives . This feeling is echoed in most of the anti-Federalist writings, that political officials are, as one writer put it, no more than an elective monarchy . The correlation between the potential abuse of power and the rich, intellectual and aristocratic class of Americans was a great reason behind the suspicious perception of government on the part of the anti-Federalists. This air of distrust was especially strong since the memories of the oppressive reign of England and the revolutionary spirit were still fresh in the minds and hearts of Americans. The anti-Federalists had a great deal to be concerned with in light of the proposed Constitution, as the political power and democratic rights of the majority were seemingly tossed aside, leaving them helpless subjects, rather than active political participants in the new government. For the most part, their concerns about the potential abuses of powerShow MoreRelatedThe Threat On A Nation From Its Own Constitution Essay1681 Words   |  7 PagesThe Threats on a Nation from Its Own Constitution When looking for the causes of the Civil War, one might start with the Mexican American War, which mainly began over the issue of the expansion of slavery. However, America’s sectional differences have been present since the country’s early days. 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