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Essay / The Federalist No. 51 and Its Significance in Political Thought Appropriate checks and balances between different departments. Written on February 6, 1788, this essay is one of three documents that make up a group of political papers known as The Federalist Papers. These documents were written by the three principal proponents of the U.S. Constitution and the Federal Convention; Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison (Mulford 999). The collection of essays was first published in the Independent Journal, a New York-based political magazine, in addition to several other magazines. Ironically, New York Governor George Clinton was an Anti-Federalist, an opponent of governmental freedoms, Republican ideals, and the subsequent ratification of the U.S. Constitution (Mulford 999). “The Federalist No. 51” was written a year after Hamilton concluded that New York State would not ratify the Constitution. Subsequently, the Federalist Papers were published and widely distributed in New York, as well as several other states, in order to persuade and convince Anti-Federalists to support the foundations of Democratic Republicanism and Federalism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayHistorical BackgroundIn a radical attempt to rejuvenate the national government and replace its nebulous Articles of Confederation with a more stable legal and governing document , Federalists came together in what became known as the Federal Convention. This secret meeting was held from the spring to fall of 1787 and was the origin of the Constitution of the United States (Mulford 998). Before its nationwide ratification, Anti-Federalists, who argued that the document did not represent the lower and middle classes of society, fiercely opposed the Federalist version of the Constitution. They were then appeased by the proposal and subsequent implementation of the Bill of Rights in 1789 and 1790, when the First United States Congress presented the first twelve amendments to the state legislatures for ratification (NARA). The federal Constitution was finally ratified by the thirteen states in 1790 (Mulford 999). The Constitution is a living document that has the inherent capacity to be amended by the legislative branch of government through a vote of approval of three-fourths of the state legislatures. It has been amended twenty-seven times, with the final amendment prohibiting U.S. senators from setting or increasing their own salaries (U.S. Constitution). The Constitution remains one of the world's most unique governing documents because of its assemblage of personal freedoms and checks and balances among the executive, legislative, and judicial institutions of our government. Document SummaryA defender of individual freedoms and structures and democratic processes When it comes to government, James Madison defends his ideas of a governmental system supported by a division of powers and independent institutions in "The Federalist No. 51." Madison asserts that the legislature is the most powerful branch of government and most needs the checks and balances of the other branches, to ensure that no branch becomes tyrannical. Additionally, Madison affirms the importance of protecting our country not only from the tyrannical rule of an executive ruler, but also from the injustices that can arisefrom groups of private citizens. Finally, Madison supports the idea that justice should be the general goal of representative government and a powerful force among citizens in a civil society. The analysis "The Federalist No. 51" is relevant to the canon of modern political thought because it summarizes the founding principles of federalism, protection against tyranny, the inevitability of class conflict, and the solution of principle of checks and balances. Madison, unlike Hamilton and other political activists of his day, supported the preservation of state governments, a pluralist theory whose essence requires the existence of state government for the solidification of liberty and freedom. national cohesion between states. Madison uses strong and compelling rhetoric throughout his argument. He specifically states who his audience is in the salutation of his argument, “To the people of the State of New York” (Madison 1). Madison's goal in "The Federalist No. 51" is twofold: first, to persuade anti-Federalist citizens and the government of New York, a key state in the ratification of the Constitution, to support Federalist ideals; second, to inform the Federalist citizens of New York of the full message of the Federalist Party. Therefore, Madison can be credited with many of the founding principles necessary for the existence of our current Republic. One of the first channels that Madison uses to define our modern understanding of political thought is his emphasis on federalism. He asserts that the only way to maintain freedom and liberty is to resort to the institution of federalism, "in order to lay the necessary foundation for that separate and distinct exercise of the several powers of government, which is recognized by all as essential to the preservation of liberty, it is evident that each department must have its own will” (Madison 1). Madison supports the idea of separate governmental entities by recognizing the existence of their individual wills. Without this recognition, government institutions would not be powerful enough to operate independently. Madison highlights the danger of one institution having too much power. “It is important in a republic not only to protect society against the oppression of its leaders, but also to protect one part of society against the injustice of the other part” (3). Madison further asserts that since the American people transferred their sovereignty to the government, in turn, "a double security arises for the rights of the people" (3). This statement is relevant to the foundation of modern political thought because it places value on the citizens of states and assures them of the protection of a sovereign in exchange for their sovereignty. Madison adopted one of the main arguments of the Anti-Federalist movement, the recognition of the lower and middle classes of society. Madison recognizes the existence of class distinctions and the tyranny that the majority often exercises over the minority. It further recognizes this distinction within the same government department. Madison proposes a legal solution to this apparent problem, "by giving those who administer each department the constitutional means and personal incentives necessary to resist the encroachments of others" (Madison 2). His "eye for an eye" solution and discussion of human nature may have come from Thomas Hobbes' philosophical ideas about the state of nature and civil society. Additionally, Madison employs a biblical allusion throughout his speech on political inequality: “if men were angels, no government would be necessary” (2). Here, Madison recognizes the state of imperfection of man and the).
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