The Democratic-Republicans sought to limit federal control and preferred local power as the dominant force. Chiefly, the emergence of the American two-party system arose from strongly opposed political views, but also developed out of experience and a struggle for power. As previously stated, the main reason for the development of the party system in the United States, or any political party for that matter, is a difference in beliefs on how a government should be operated. The Federalists, formed by Alexander Hamilton – Washington’s Treasury Secretary – in 1794, favored federalism with government having the power to control commerce, tax, declare war, and make treaties among other powers.
Both classes had disagreements with the Articles of Confederation. Federalists say that the articles were weak and ineffective because the state governments was too weak to apply laws and ordered for a national government instead. We Anti-federalists however believed that the Articles of Confederation was a good plan and that there should not be a government more powerful than the state governments. Believing that state governments should have more power compared to the national government was one of the big reasons why the anti-federalists supported the Articles of Confederation. How about the U.S constitution, what factors were held to point out?
Professor of history Gordon S. Wood views the struggle for a new constitution in 1787-1788 as a social conflict between upper-class Federalists who desired a stronger central government and the “humbler” Anti-Federalists who controlled the state assemblies. He says that the writers and supporters of the Constitution were Federalists and they believed that the Constitution was a fulfillment. Which basically means, that those Federalists didn’t see anything wrong with the Constitution. Antifederalists said the Constitution was a denial of the principles of 1776. They were saying that the Constitution was didn’t honor the liberty nor the self-government.
Federalists, on the other hand, believed in broadly adhering to constitution, characterizing them as broad constructionists. This allowed the Federalists to make decisions that were not clearly supported by the constitution, ultimately giving the government more power than the constitution. While the Federalists and Republicans were thought as very diverse parties, their beliefs ended up crossing during the presidencies of Jefferson and Madison. Therefore, from 1801 to 1817 while the Federalists were considered to be broad constructionists and Republicans strict constructionists, they both went astray from their beliefs so each party could do what was best for themselves and, most importantly, the country. From 1801 to 1809, during the presidency of Jefferson, it was the first time that the Republicans and Federalists didn't abide by the ordinary ideals each group previously followed.
While Madison supported a strong central government, he also helped implement what are common separations of power and checks and balances. Originally a Federalist and author of many of the Federalist Papers along with colleagues such as John Jay and Alexander Hamilton, Madison was not only a scholar but a statesman that saw the dangers of a hard, ridged stance for federal government. Madison feared the likelihood of each state in the Confederacy having its own monetary systems and laws. He feared that bankruptcy from one state might seep to the next with a catastrophic result. He held a firm stance against treason and sedition.
THE AMERICAN AND FRENCH REVOLUTION The revolution between the French and Americans were being forced by liberty and equality. Both wanting to obtain freedom by the high ranking monarchs. Differences were mainly visible between these two revolutions, such as the Americans wanting to get some sort of freedom from the taxes and laws that were forced buy Great Britain. Great Britain was a strong and powerful “group”. Whereas the French wanted a revolution to be freed from the monarchs that were implementing things in France.
In Alexander Hamilton’s written opinion for president George Washington, he said “it is conceded that implied powers are to be considered as delegated equally with express ones”. The Federalist wanted stronger federal power and therefore believed in the loose interpretation of the United States constitution, and the Democratic-Republicans wanted less federal power and therefore believed in a strict interpretation of the constitution. Alexander Hamilton was a federalist, and his economic plan involved the creation of the National Bank, however the Democratic-Republicans believed that the constitution did not give the government the right to do such a thing. This was a difference in views of the two parties, in the matters of how the constitution should be interpreted. Moreover, the Federalist and Democratic-Republicans differed in their views on foreign affairs.
This action was a clear flip-flop from his previous policy of requiring any action to have constitutional authorization. Although strict constructionism was important to Jefferson, he did abandon that principle in the purchase of the Louisiana Territory, believing the ends would justify the means. To him, the Republican dream of a long-term agrarian society was more important and feasible and he continued to do, what he thought, was in the best interest of the nation. All that Thomas Jefferson and the Republicans wanted, in the end was an agrarian society and economy throughout the nation, by whatever means necessary. As Barry J. Balleck rights, “After all, what was the ultimate end of government?
Washington, like most other Federalists during the French Revolution, wanted to keep out and have the country stay to itself. They believed that especially right after the revolution, America did not have a strong enough military force to contribute or put on the line, and also wanted to become closer with the British once again due to their strong trade market. While the Anti-Federalists, like Jefferson, wanted to have an active support of the French due to the Franco-American Treaty of 1778. Washington believed this was too large of a danger for the country though this seemed to further the separation between the Jeffersonian and Hamiltonian
Federalists vs. Democrat-Republicans Issue Federalists Demorat-Republicans Notes National vs. state governments Favored a strong central government with the power to control commerce, tax, declare war, and make treaties Sought to limit the role of the national government, favoring local control • This issue, never finally settled until the Civil War, was the basic philosophical point of contention between the two parties. French Revolution Opposed the Revolution and opposed American support for the antimonarchy group Supported the popular forces in the French Revolution and favored American assistance • The debt of America to France for its assistance during the American Revolution is seen as due and unpaid