Anti-Federalist And Federalism

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The American Constitution was a product of the extensive and considerable debates on theoretical argumentation. Robert Yates, assumed to be the writer of pseudonym Brutus I, represents the Anti-Federalist view of governments and the way that constitution should assert their powers on society, while Federalist 10 gives us an glimpse of the Federalist view of society. Both these documents present us with the best examples of Anti-Federalist and Federalist thought. A major topic discussion between these two documents is the size of republics, as well as each view as to why their notions are the best for the new society.
Anti-federalists and Brutus asserted that the new U.S. Constitution would eventually lead to the termination of the state governments, the consolidation of the Union into “one great republic” under an unchecked national government, and as a result the loss of free, self-government. Brutus additionally thought that in such an extensive and diverse nation, nothing short of despotism “could bind so great a country under one government.” Brutus suggests that large governments give room for “absolute and uncontrollable power” which allows for a large diverse government, which would, in turn, threaten personal liberty. These large governments lead to ambitious enterprises, glory, empire building, and adventurism; all of which the Anti-Federalists agree should be prevented in a society. Brutus stresses homogeneity and virtue because these represent harmony and discordant principles. People are more likely to be civic spirited in a small republic, rather than a large one which the Federalists are supportive of.
In the letter from Samuel Adams to John Scollay, we see Adam’s Anti-Federalist view of government. Adams supports...

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... effects of factions, Madison argues that factions should be controlled and allowed to exist; factions are not only essential to a republic but also natural and therefore unavoidable.
While a variety of factions exist, Madison asserts that the strongest factions are those dealing with economics. As such, Madison advocates a large, commercial republic to control the effects of factions: large in that the more factions exist, the less likelihood any one faction will gain absolute power as the factions will frequently form and re-form short-term coalitions; commercial in that the individual must have freedom in the market in order to preserve the creation of economic factions. A republican form of government is essential to control factions since minorities are given some protection as the representative would be more interested in the public good than self-interest.

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