Now it starts getting interesting- Federalist and Anti-Federalist #2
In these papers, the authors begin to really debate the proper role of government and, most importantly for the former British colonies, how much power should the government have?
The authors of our Constitution were very insightful of their understanding of the hazards of government and how quickly well-meaning republics could become brutal tyrannies. These men were steeped in the classics and understood Latin and Greek, the Romans and Athenians. Knowing history, which I of course always recommend, made them cautious about setting up a government that could take away their hard earned liberty.
If only the masses who are willing to trade their freedoms for a vaporous measure of "economic security and social justice" understand that only through liberty can people have these things.
Here are the quotes for this week:
From the Federalists:
"Nothing is more certain than the indispensable necessity of government, and it is equally undeniable, that whenever and however it is instituted, the people must cede to it some of their natural rights in order to vest it with requisite powers. It is well worthy of consideration therefore, whether it would conduce more to the interest of the people of America that they should, to all general purposes, be one nation, under one federal government, or that they should divide themselves into separate confederacies, and give to the head of each the same kind of powers which they are advised to place in one national government."
And from the Anti-Federalists:
"This principle, which seems so evidently founded in the reason and nature of things, is confirmed by universal experience. Those who have governed, have been found in all ages ever active to enlarge their powers and abridge the public liberty."
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