Jonah Patel
The Anti-Federalists were opponents of the US Constitution who mobilized in state legislatures across the country. Their greatest concern was that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government, threatening individual liberties. They believed that the new Constitution consolidated too much power in the hands of Congress, resembling a monarch, and that the liberties of the people were best protected when power resided in state governments. They also objected to the absence of a bill of rights in the original draft of the Constitution. Their efforts were influential in the adoption of the First Amendment and the nine other amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Absence of a bill of rights | The Bill of Rights was important to Anti-Federalists as it protected individual liberties |
| Excessive power of the federal government | Anti-Federalists believed that the new Constitution gave the federal government too much power at the expense of the states |
| Absence of term limits for officeholders | Anti-Federalists wanted term limits for officeholders |
| Lack of direct election of government officials | Anti-Federalists wanted the direct election of government officials |
| Unitary president resembling a monarch | Anti-Federalists believed that the unitary president resembled a monarch too closely |
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What You'll Learn
Excessive power of the federal government
The Anti-Federalists were a late-18th-century political movement that opposed the creation of a stronger US federal government and later opposed the ratification of the 1787 Constitution. The Anti-Federalists believed that the new Constitution consolidated too much power in the hands of Congress, at the expense of the states. They believed that the unitary president resembled a monarch and that this resemblance would eventually produce intrigue in the nation's capital.
The Anti-Federalists believed that the liberties of the people were best protected when power resided in state governments, as opposed to a federal one. They believed that the federal government's powers to tax provided by the Constitution could be used to exploit citizens and weaken the power of the states. They also feared that Congress might seize too many powers under the necessary and proper clause and other open-ended provisions.
The Anti-Federalists also believed that the federal government would become tyrannous without a Bill of Rights. They believed that the Constitution, as drafted, would lead to a loss of individual liberties, an erosion of state sovereignty, and the potential for the rise of tyranny. They advocated for a more decentralized form of government with greater protections for individual rights and stronger representation for the states.
The Anti-Federalists' concerns about excessive federal power were addressed in the Bill of Rights, which reserves any power not given to the federal government to the states and the people. The Bill of Rights includes the right to free speech, the right to a speedy trial, the right to due process under the law, and protections against cruel and unusual punishments.
Anti-Federalists' Vision: What Could Have Been?
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Absence of a bill of rights
The Anti-Federalists were concerned about the absence of a bill of rights in the US Constitution, which they believed was necessary to protect individual liberties. They argued that people were entirely free in a state of nature, but in society, some rights were given up for the common good. However, they believed that there were certain fundamental rights that should always be retained by the people and explicitly stated in a bill of rights, which would clearly define the limits of government.
The Anti-Federalists wanted to ensure that the rights of citizens were protected and that the federal government did not overreach its authority. They believed that the new Constitution gave too much power to the federal government, with some fearing that the new "president" role could become "King-like" and lead to a pseudo-monarchy. They wanted to see a clear division of powers and a strong state government, with rights and powers reserved for the states and the people.
Richard Henry Lee of Virginia, an Anti-Federalist writer, expressed his concern about the absence of a bill of rights in the proposed Constitution:
> "There are certain unalienable and fundamental rights which informing the social compact, ought to be explicitly ascertained and fixed. A free and enlightened people, in forming this compact, will not resign all their rights to those who govern, and they will fix limits to their legislators and rulers, which will soon be plainly seen by those who are governed, as well as by those who govern—and the latter will know they cannot be passed unperceived by the former and without giving a general alarm. These rights should be made the basis of every constitution. And if a people be so situated or have such different opinions that they cannot agree in ascertaining and fixing them, it is a very strong argument against their attempting to form one entire society to live under one system of laws only."
The Anti-Federalists' concerns about the absence of a bill of rights led to a compromise, with several states, including Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York, ratifying the Constitution on the condition that amendments could be added, including a bill of rights. By June 1788, nine states had ratified the Constitution, allowing it to come into effect the following year. The Bill of Rights, consisting of 10 constitutional amendments, was officially added to the Constitution to secure the basic rights and privileges of American citizens.
Anti-Federalists' View of the Constitution: A Critical Perspective
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Unitary president resembling a monarch
The Anti-Federalists were concerned that the unitary president resembled a monarch too closely. They believed that this resemblance would eventually lead to the formation of "courts of intrigue" in the nation's capital.
Anti-Federalists like Edmund Randolph, who presented the Virginia Plan, opposed the unitary executive, arguing that it would be unpopular with the people and could easily become monarchical. He warned against using the British government as a model for the Constitution, noting that energy, dispatch, and responsibility could be found in a group of leaders from different regions of the country just as well as in one.
In "Anti-Federalist No. 74: The President as a Military King," Philadelphiensis (likely Benjamin Workman) wrote against the president's military powers and the lack of a constitutional executive council, which he believed would add to the danger of a powerful presidency:
> "And to complete his uncontrolled sway, [the President] is neither restrained nor assisted by a privy council, which is a novelty in government. I challenge the politicians of the whole continent to find in any period of history a monarch more absolute."
Other Anti-Federalists, like Richard Henry Lee, also expressed concern about the unitary executive, supporting the constitutional addition of a privy council. They charged that the President would become an elected monarch, that cabals would develop to ensure his reelection, and that the presidential veto power would be abused. They further feared that the presidential power to grant pardons would allow the president to conspire with others in treasonous activities.
Federalists, on the other hand, argued that the American Presidency was different from the British Monarchy because it had limited power checked by the other two branches of government. They maintained that the President would be accountable to both the people and Congress.
Federalists' Stance: The Constitution's Ultimate Defenders
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Obliteration of state governments
The Anti-Federalists were a diverse group, composed of small farmers, landowners, shopkeepers, and laborers. They were against the ratification of the Constitution for many reasons, but one of their greatest concerns was the fear that the new Constitution would obliterate or absorb existing state governments, concentrating too much power in the hands of the federal government.
The Anti-Federalists believed that the Constitution, as drafted, would lead to a loss of individual liberties and an erosion of state sovereignty. They argued that the liberties of the people were best protected when power resided in state governments rather than a federal one. They saw the unitary president as resembling a monarch, and believed that this would eventually produce courts of intrigue in the nation's capital.
In the "Essays of Brutus," an anonymous Anti-Federalist writer worried that without any limitations, the proposed Constitution would make "the state governments... dependent on the will of the general government for their existence." They believed that the federal government's powers to tax could be used to exploit citizens and weaken the power of the states. They also believed that the national government would be too far removed from the people and, therefore, unresponsive to the needs of localities.
To address these concerns, the Federalists agreed to consider amendments to the new Constitution, which eventually became the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights secured the basic rights and privileges of American citizens, including the right to free speech, the right to a speedy trial, the right to due process under the law, and protections against cruel and unusual punishments. It also reserved any power not given to the federal government to the states and the people.
Federalists' Influence: Shaping the US Constitution
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Congress seizing too many powers
The Anti-Federalists were a diverse coalition of people who opposed the ratification of the 1787 U.S. Constitution. They believed that the new Constitution gave the federal government too much power, threatening individual liberties. They saw the new Constitution as consolidating too much power in the hands of Congress, at the expense of the states.
The Anti-Federalists' greatest concern was that the new Constitution would lead to a powerful central government that could become corrupt and seize more and more power, eventually dominating the people. They believed that the best way to protect the liberties of the people was to keep power in the state governments rather than a federal one. The proposed Constitution's creation of a federal government, in which national laws were supreme over state laws, was seen as a threat to the traditional belief in the importance of restraining government power.
The Anti-Federalists also feared that the unitary president, with vast new powers, resembled a monarch too closely. They believed this would eventually produce courts of intrigue in the nation's capital. The President's veto power, which could overturn decisions of the people's representatives in the legislature, was particularly disturbing to them.
In addition, the proposed lower house of the legislature would likely be composed of elites due to the small number of members. These representatives would have a large area to cover and would not truly know their constituents. With the legislature's increased fiscal authority, including the right to raise taxes, the Anti-Federalists feared that Congress would pass oppressive taxes and enforce them with a standing national army.
The Anti-Federalists' opposition to the Constitution was so strong that they made its ratification contingent on the inclusion of a Bill of Rights. They wanted to ensure that any power not explicitly given to the federal government would be reserved for the states and the people. This resulted in the adoption of the First Amendment and the other nine amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights, which has become the most important part of the Constitution for most Americans.
Anti-Federalists: Unlikely Supporters of the US Constitution
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Frequently asked questions
The Anti-Federalists' greatest concern was that the US Constitution gave too much power to the federal government at the expense of individual states' power.
The Federalists and Anti-Federalists had opposing views on the role of the national government. The Federalists supported a stronger national government, while the Anti-Federalists defended a vision of America rooted in powerful states.
The Anti-Federalists feared that the federal government would resemble a monarchy, and that it would threaten individual liberties due to the absence of a bill of rights. They also believed that the liberties of the people were best protected by state governments.
The Anti-Federalists' opposition to the US Constitution led to the adoption of the Bill of Rights, which includes 10 constitutional amendments that secure the basic rights and privileges of American citizens.
