Free Essay: Madison & Hamilton Analysis of the Federalists Papers

Hamilton and Madison can be described as the fathers of the American political system and the creation of government and the division of major wings of government. The two however had some contradictions in terms of their contributions to the written federal papers. This paper analyses the letters written by James Madison and Alexander Hamilton. It identifies whether they are divided or not

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Background Information

This term paper analyses their contributions to the federal papers including their writings on union as a way of safeguarding citizens against insurrections. It analyzes Hamilton's writings on the federal government and the power vested in its branches. It compares it to paper 46 by Madison who writes about federal government and state government. Understanding the background of the two statesmen is important in defining the source of their difference in the foundation of government.

Alexander H. was a politician and a legal scholar, he was also an economist and once served as a banker. His success in politics was due to his early position as a military commander. He was interested in the role of constitution, its implementation and federalism. His active role in proposals and contributions to the federal papers started, when he was given a chance to serve as an assemblyman in new york county, in the year, 1787. Being chosen as a delegate for the constitutional convention gave him a platform to propose for a better national government.

The proposal is evident in his writings. James Madison is a founding father in the U.S. He is known as the father who contributed to the creation of the Constitution in the late 1700s.He once served as a secretary of the state. Madison was born in the year 1751 in Virginia. He was so much interested in the country's affairs from an early age. His opinions on federalism and the setting up of a government and its branches started in 1787 when he was elected to the represent Virginia in the constitution convention that gave him a chance to speak on the need to form a federal government that had three administrative branches. According to him the branches would consist of the legislative, judicial and executive branches. He supported the idea by introducing proposing the need for the three branches to work on the rule of checks and balances to avoid the occurrence of one branch misusing the power given. Federalist papers are the papers that brought together law scholars such an s Hamilton and Madison together to written letters of persuasion in an effort to ratify the constitution. The letters of persuasion were published at the national newspapers and became included in the constitution over time

Are the Federalist's Papers Divided or not

There is a question that has always remained controversial concerning the federalist's papers. There is a concern weather the papers were divided or united in their federal quest. Alexander Hailton was the father figure in the drafting of the publication, and hired Madison James, and the other authors, who were very important in the writing of the letters. There were additional, writers whose works were rejected. Duer a writer who was rejected finally ended up writing a published document entitled Philo-Publius. The document cannot be described as fully undivided as some section and letters are not in harmony .The messages in other letters are largely focused in the representations. Hamilton is concerned with the difference between the states government and the federal government. His emphasis greatly lies on the possibility of both systems to work. James Madison in 29 of his papers, most of which were greatly disputed. The greatest success of the federalist's paper was the paper 84 which was adopted later in the bill of rights

Federalist's Papers

Federalists papers is made up of many essays, 85 letters that were written to newspapers in the 1780 and the preceding years. The ratification needed an approval from thirteen states .The essays were described by the authors including Hamilton Alexander , who played a major role in its drafting as publisum.The aim of the letters according to the authors was that ,their proposed system was a means of preserving union and empowering federal governments, a root to national coherence. The essays consists of both propaganda and political logics and aimed at spreading word and luring the public to support the system. The papers that proposed the ratification of the constitution argued that the incompetent articles on confederation were replaced. Involvement of the media made the papers very common among the states that were required to enact the change. The protection of the individual and state rights according to the chief writer of the letter, Hamilton, a system of checks and balances would protect the rights of individuals .It was seen as an attempt to destroy the present system and deny they p-people the existing democratic rights .Years later the papers is widely read and guarded because it is the foundation of the present principles upon which the government has been formed.

Federalist's papers comparison

Both Hamilton and Madison contributed their ideas on the union which could be used as a safeguard again domestic faction and insurrections.Hammiltons view is recorded at number 9 of the federalists paper .His address to the people of New York is that union would act as a booster of liberty and peace. He narrated the story of the Greeks and Italy referring to their forms of governments as petty and full of agitations and revolutions. He identifies unions as a barrier against anarchy and tyranny. In his view republican governments had a system that deprived citizens of their civil liberty and its practices were unconstitutional. He asserts that republicanism does not foster peace and that America is too large to support the administration of confrederation.He cites the diverse interest as main reason against this form, of government structure. The republican government was not a whole new system as believed by the people but was a product of ancient forms of leadership that had only evolved .The few adjustments that had been introduced were not efficient enough to tackle the need of the citizen to have a government that was more accountable .The inefficiency of the Confederacy, by Hamilton was an idea sourced from, a French scholar Montesquieu, who was writer widely known for writing constitution reviews and judicial maters.The impact of republicanism, would be a form of jealous and monarchy as the states would split itself to territories that would cause warfare and clashes. Madison wrote about the same issue of federalism in the federalist's paper number 10.His paper was regarded the most powerful as he recommended constitution as the only way in which the government could fight against factions. According to Madison, parties or group of people that united to safeguard their own interests were referred to as factions. The factions were interested in their economic and social being at the expenses of the common citizens. Such people were a great threat to the rights of the citizens. Those who opposed and supported the constitution were often concerned with the different groups. The state governments had failed to solve the issue and there was a need for a government that could end the problem once and for all.

In an unrestricted federation the safety for civil privileges should be the similar as that for sacred rights. It entails in the solitary case in the diversity of benefits and in the further in the diversity of cliques. The measure of safety in both circumstances will be contingent on the number of desires and cults; and this could be alleged to be dependent on the extent of nation and amount of persons comprehended beneath the same federation. This opinion of the topic must particularly acclaim a proper centralized scheme to all the genuine and considerate associates of democrat government, subsequently it explicate that in exact fraction as the terrain of the Union could be molded into more bounded Confederacies, or States domineering combinations of a mainstream will be expedited: the best sanctuary, under the democrat procedures, for the privileges of each category of populaces, will be reduced: and subsequently the steadiness and liberation of some affiliate of the government, which is the only other sanctuary, must be proportionally increased. Impartiality is the termination of government. This is the culmination of civil humanity. It always has been and eternally will be trailed till it gets acquired, or until authorization is mislaid in the quest. In a civilization under the customs of which the sturdier faction can voluntarily bond and dominate the feebler, anarchism may as actually be said to control as in a complaint of nature, as which the weaker discrete is not tenable against the ferocity of the sturdier; and as, in the later state, even the sturdier individuals are impelled, by the indecision of their disorder, to succumb to an administration which may shield the weak in addition to themselves; consequently, in the prior national, will the more influential factions or gatherings be gradually persuaded, by a like reason, to wish for administration which will guard all parties, the feebler in addition to the more influential.

According to Madison's letter, men were unique as far as the difference in opinion and even the amount of wealth and social status was concerned. This nature man made it difficult to eradicate the groups that were forming to safeguard their own interests. There was a need of a government that took into account the interests of people and their opinions. The people with more property and ability tended to be heard and given more priority. Madison in the essay suggests two ways of dealing with a faction, destruction of liberty or giving citizens the same opinions and interests.Destruction of liberty would be worst and cannot be practiced.Any country would have to live with the consequences of such factions. Madison, therefore, recommended that a government created by the constitution would have powers to reduce the possible effects of factions

According to his letter, a government formed by the constitution was one which allowed representation.It would be democratic and allow the governed to elect their leaders independently. There were few who were elected to represent the majority. Representative democracy limited the influence of the factions from the richer society that might want to control the government to satisfy selfish interests.

The new form of government would enable good leaders to be elected into office and bring about a better country. The theory of his opinion was that the leaders would be products of integrity and would not likely sacrifice the country's interests for the sake of personal interests. In the new system the opinion of a majority of people is, therefore difficult for any of these leaders to lie to the people since the country is a wide one.

Factions in a larger democratic country are made weak and would have to unite to form a group that can be heard by the public making private interests watered down. His opinion was that the constitution united the 13 states in a union, with each having one boundary closer to foreign country. The states far from the country's capital would have some difficulties in sending representatives from the locations to the capital. The challenge was however little as compared to the strength that the government would have. The essay has a conclusion that quoted Madison criticizing many critics who were against this new idea claiming that it could not work. He describes them as the agents against the common interests of the people.