People

** The "WHO" of Federalism.... ** It is evident that the foundation of Federalism derives from its founders, or the Framers of the Constitution. Under the Articles of Confederation, many colonists feared the inadequate powers federal officials were allotted, claiming a stronger national government was necessary to prolong further growth of the country. For this reason, wealthy governors, intellectuals, lawyers, tax-creditors, and landowners assembled to settle disputes over the existing Confederation, creating the Constitution and thus developing Federalism. Even before the signing of the Constitution, many political leaders and citizens entrusted the power of the people in the hands of a more powerful government. While opponents of this idea became known as Anti-federalists, advocates were widely recognized as the Federalists. Such followers of the suggested government include Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, all of whom collaborated to from the //Federalist Papers//. In this collection of essays, a central government was conveyed to benefit the union between the states, amend problems created by the Articles of Confederation, and protect the rights of the minority from the majority. To be brief, its main goal was to help win the ratification of the Constitution, and argue that a strong federal government was needed to preserve order and secure national liberty. On the other hand, Anti-federalists, such as George Mason, Patrick Henry, and Samuel Adams, shared a similar belief in which a restricted national government was adequate enough to guarantee personal rights. Many colonists deemed men as ambitious, greedy corrupt creatures, and were concerned about losing their unalienable rights Thomas Jefferson defined in the Declaration of Independence to a federal regime. Essentially, the increasing alarm and fear lingering throughout the country caused many Anti-federalists to call for a compromise, therefore establishing a Bill of Rights and creating Federalism. Although the framing of the Constitution and the foundation of federalism formed due to the efforts of philosophical intellectuals and many political leaders, including John Locke, William Patterson, and Edmund Randolph, there are still many inconveniences related to today’s federalist society. According to political scientist Daniel J. Elazar, federalism enables the government to provide security and preserve liberty, while simultaneously maintaining strength, uniqueness, and political flexibility. Conversely, Harold Laski, a British observer, described federalism as “parasitic and poisonous,” as political scientist William H. Riker stated the main outcome of federalism has brought nothing more than racism and bigotry. In addition, Jacob Weisberg, author of “Republican Revisionism,” presents an argument concerning the fickleness of today’s political parties. With many liberal and conservative principles continually changing, difficulty arises in managing a government and knowing where to limit the powers of national and state authorities.