1) Please state whether you find the arguments and beliefs of one side to be more persuasive than the other, and why. Please try to elaborate and use examples to make your point clear.

Federalists (Democratic) Republicans

View of Man man's dominant interest is self-

interest; the key is to turn this self- interest to an advantage (reasoning in Federalist #10)

man has corrupt elements, but

reason triumphs: “Nature has implanted in our breasts a love of others, a sense of duty to them, a moral instinct” - T. Jefferson

View of 'The People' distrusted the masses somewh at: “people are turbulent and changing,

they seldom judge or determine right” - A. Hamilton

public education and free government en ables peo ple to

make goo d choic es in elections

Major fear instability/anarchy: Tyranny of the Majority/people; mobs looting,

burning mortgages (Shay's rebellion) and intimidating people; business

cannot thrive in this environment

domination: distrusted the powerful few - those who are

in offic e are a big ger threat; feared an “elected king”

View of government government can be a positive thing, especia lly in helping the econo my to grow; wanted to strengthen the

national government to assure freed om, sec ure pro perty & guarantee independence

a necessary evil which needs to be limite d an d co nsta ntly monitored and reviewed

View of States state's rights were div isive, used to promote loca l self interests

states should have all the pow ers n ot imm edia tely necessary to the national government

View of the Constitution

broad interpretation, so the government will have enough power to keep order

narrow interpretation, lest the government have unrestricted power

View of economy saw the U.S. as a potential great pow er, but n eeded to have a stea dy,

unif ied c ount ry an d a s tab le economy; wanted taxes raised and

war debts paid to create a p owerful trading s tate

didn't dis agree, but ten ded to look west at the agricultural

potential of the undeveloped land s, si nce m ost p eop le would ma ke living in agriculture

View of democracy distru sted d irect d emocra cy; pragmatic businessmen (who called

for the C onstitutiona l Convention in 1787)

believed in wisdom of the people; idealists?

View of the future future in trade, large companies, commerce & trade/mercantilism; urban s ociety

small, independent land owners; r ural society