Greater Good Dialogue

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A Dialogue Towards the Greater Good Persons of the Dialogue: ALEXANDER HAMILTON JAMES MADISON Scene: Merchants Coffee House, Second Street, Philadelphia Topic: Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 ALEXANDER HAMILTON: James, Thomas [Jefferson] will not stop incessantly complaining about Article I, Section 8, Clause 18. JAMES MADISON: His provincial views of what these United States should develop as is frightening. A strong, national government with a fair amount of power ensures that we are always progressing and never living in the past. Without the clause, the intentions of the entire constitution are lost. In fact, the tenets of the Revolution are betrayed. This great experiment will prove that central power does not always entail a betrayal of individual liberty; The United States transcends that standard. ALEXANDER HAMILTON: He does not understand that we must live for the future or the greater good of the nation, as Benjamin established in June…show more content…
It is necessary for it to be elastic. While the clause may allow, perhaps, small, technical violations of the principles of the Revolution, it is for the greater good of the Union. The clause essentially establishes that the pursuit of harmony between order and liberty is not unconstitutional. Staying completely true to Republican ideals is impossible, and will only cause greater problems, like complete anarchy. The means justify virtuous ends. JAMES MADISON: The last thing this new country needs is another Shays’s rebellion. We needed to vaguely define this broad power to prevent anarchy, and a repeat of the Articles of Confederation. Thomas wishes to literally read the clause, but it should not be read that way. The clause reflects compromise over an ideological question of sovereignty. We founding fathers cannot solve this fundamental problem of how centralized power should be. Rather, it is a struggle that will ensure a constant pursuit of order and

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