CivicsThe Founding DocumentsD2.Civ.3.9-12

The Federalist and the Anti-Federalists

In Federalist No. 10 Madison argued a large republic controls factions; in No. 51 that "ambition must be made to counteract ambition"; Brutus No. 1 warned that a large republic would be too distant from the people and that the national government's powers would swallow the states.

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The Convention's plan went to state ratifying conventions, and a great public argument began. Its supporters called themselves Federalists; its opponents were called Anti-Federalists. Read both sides on this site: The Federalist Papers and the Anti-Federalist Papers, with the arguments set side by side in the ratification debate.

The Federalist is 85 essays signed "Publius," printed in New York newspapers from October 1787 to May 1788. Alexander Hamilton wrote about 51, James Madison about 29 and John Jay 5. The leading Anti-Federalist essays were signed Brutus, Cato, the Federal Farmer and others; George Mason and Patrick Henry argued the same side in Virginia.

Read the full paper: Federalist No. 10.

Why it works

Both sides wanted to protect liberty; they disagreed about where the danger was. Madison argued that a large republic is safer, because with "a greater variety of parties and interests" no one faction can easily become a tyrannical majority, and that within the government "Ambition must be made to counteract ambition" (Federalist No. 51). Brutus (No. I, October 18, 1787) argued the opposite: a free republic cannot work over so large and varied a country, representatives would be too few and too far from the people, and the powers to tax and to make all "necessary and proper" laws, with supreme federal courts, would leave the states nothing. Cato III made the same point about "the immense extent of territory."

Key idea

Federalists: a large republic controls faction (No. 10); separated powers check each other (No. 51). Anti-Federalists: a large republic is too distant from the people, national powers would swallow the states, and a bill of rights is needed. The debate produced the Bill of Rights.

Worked example: Who would say it?

"The country is too large and varied for one government to represent; the states will be consolidated into one." Federalist or Anti-Federalist?
  1. The fear of size and of "consolidation" is the Anti-Federalist case (Brutus I; the Federal Farmer called the plan a step toward "one consolidated government").

Answer: Anti-Federalist.

Worked example: Reading Madison carefully

Does Federalist No. 10 propose to get rid of factions?
  1. Madison names two ways to remove the causes: destroy liberty, or give everyone the same opinions.
  2. He rejects both: the first is worse than the disease, the second impossible.
  3. So he concludes the causes "cannot be removed" and seeks to control the effects.

Answer: No. It aims to control their effects through a large republic.

Common mistake

Reading No. 10 as a plan to abolish factions. Madison says faction is "sown in the nature of man" and that liberty feeds it; the cure is size and representation, not suppression. Check: the key words are "controlling its EFFECTS."

Practice

Pass with 3 right answers, the last 2 in a row. Each right answer earns 2 XP.

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Sources and further reading

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