The Constitution of 1878 was supposed to define the balance of power in the state between the states. Lawyers, political, and public figures have faced the question of the states’ position in the hierarchy and their status. The constitution itself proposed a federation model, securing the central importance of the center of government, from where important laws were to emerge. Federalists believed that only with a robust center could the country develop and grow rich. The anti-federalists were against the adoption of the constitution, at least in its original form. The anti-federalists believed that the legal status of the states should remain high and that the states had every right to self-government. On this basis, a clash of two parties arose, having opposite views on the building of the state.
The most critical differences between federalists and non-federalists are attitudes towards human freedom, labor and trade, origin and occupation, representation, and organization. The anti-federalists saw human freedom as the highest value and, putting forward demands for the freedom of states before the center, took this as a basis. In promoting such values, anti-federalist “Madison proposed amendments; they became what we know today as the Bill of Rights” (Bilder, 2018, p. 144). Federalists gave the leading role to a prepared government in decision-making and neutralized the position of human freedom. The anti-federalists believed that small traders should not obey anyone but should only develop their business. The federalists were adherents of big business, and they gave it their preferences. The anti-federalists were often themselves small traders and small farm owners by occupation. Federalists were often prominent figures in public affairs, lawyers, travelers, etc. In addition, unlike anti-federalists, federalists often came from aristocratic families. In conclusion, the federalists were well organized, as they understood the details of the political and legal mechanisms. The anti-federalists, despite their stated values, lacked organization and representation. The most famous federalists are George Washington, John Adams, and Alexander Hamilton; notable anti-federalists include Patrick Henry and James Madison.
References
Bilder, M. S. (2018). The Ordeal and the Constitution. The New England Quarterly, 91(1), 129-146.