The Debate for The United States Constitution - 1787
Should the United States opt for a strong and powerful federal government?
This was a hot debated issue in the 1790s between the Federalists (in favour of a strong Federal Governement) and the Antifederalists (in favour of a weak central governement). The debate between the two concerned the power of the central government versus that of the states, with the Federalists favoring the former and the Antifederalists advocating states' rights. Antifederalists equated strong central governement with tyranny.
The Antifederalists were led by Thomas Jefferson who represented the rural and southern interests. Jefferson advocated a decentralized agrarian republic. He recognized the value of a strong central government in foreign relations, but he did not want it strong in other respects. Jefferson wanted the federal governement to have limited powers because he considered a strong central governement to be an "obstacle to freedom and to individual rights".
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Thomas Jefferson | 1743-1826
Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. Main author of the Declaration of Independence
Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. Main author of the Declaration of Independence
Led by Alexander Hamilton, albeit secretly at first, the Federalists were the first political party of the United States.
They supported the Constitution, and wanted to convince the States to ratify it. The Federalists, favored the creation of a strong federal government that would more closely unite the states as one large, continental nation. They tended to come from the wealthier class of merchants and plantation owners |
Alexander Hamilton | 1755-1804
New-York delegate to the Constitutional Convention (1787). Major author of the Federalist papers, the foremost champion of a strong central government.
New-York delegate to the Constitutional Convention (1787). Major author of the Federalist papers, the foremost champion of a strong central government.
In the ratification debate, the Jeffersonians opposed to the Constitution. They complained that the new system threatened liberties, and failed to protect individual rights. The Anti-Federalists weren't exactly a united group, but instead involved many elements. Although the Anti-Federalists were unsuccessful in the prevention of the adoption of the Constitution, their efforts led to the creation and implementation of the Bill of Rights
Checks and Balances
The members of the United States Constitutional Convention (1787) drew much of its inspiration from the works of French and British philosphers such as Montesquieu and Blackstone.The United States Constitutional Convention advocated for:
1- The separation of powers (executive, legislative and judiciary)
2- le bicameralism : two-chamber parliamentary system (Congress = Senate + House of Representative)
3- Federal Preemption : Federal laws trump state law. In other words Federal laws preempts state laws (Article VI, Section 2 : The Supremacy Clause)
2- le bicameralism : two-chamber parliamentary system (Congress = Senate + House of Representative)
3- Federal Preemption : Federal laws trump state law. In other words Federal laws preempts state laws (Article VI, Section 2 : The Supremacy Clause)
According to Montesquieu, this guaranteed a solid balance of power in the governement : "Pour qu’on ne puisse pas abuser du pouvoir, il faut que, par la disposition des choses, le pouvoir arrête le pouvoir."
The Constitution of the United States was drafted in 1787 in Philadelphia (then the capital city of the United States). It embraced the principles advocated by Montesquieu : the separation of powers (leglisative, executive and judiciary). This is called "The Checks and Balances".
The Constitution of the United States was drafted in 1787 in Philadelphia (then the capital city of the United States). It embraced the principles advocated by Montesquieu : the separation of powers (leglisative, executive and judiciary). This is called "The Checks and Balances".
Cette théorie de Montesquieu a fortement inspiré les rédacteurs de la Constitution américaine.
Afin d’éviter que chacun des pouvoirs n’abuse de ses prérogatives, les constituants américains ont ainsi prévu un strict partage des compétences entre organes fédéraux et États fédérés. Ils ont également réparti le pouvoir législatif entre deux assemblées, donné au Président un droit de veto sur les textes législatifs, et reconnu parallèlement au Sénat la faculté de s’opposer aux nominations relevant du Président ou encore aux traités internationaux négociés par l’administration.
Afin d’éviter que chacun des pouvoirs n’abuse de ses prérogatives, les constituants américains ont ainsi prévu un strict partage des compétences entre organes fédéraux et États fédérés. Ils ont également réparti le pouvoir législatif entre deux assemblées, donné au Président un droit de veto sur les textes législatifs, et reconnu parallèlement au Sénat la faculté de s’opposer aux nominations relevant du Président ou encore aux traités internationaux négociés par l’administration.
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