The Anti-Federalits opposed the Constitution, they did not feel that a republican form of government could work on a national scale. They also did not feel that the rights of the individual were properly or sufficiently protected by the new Constitution. There basic thought process was along the lines or having faith in the common people, that people could overcome their selfish ways.

The Federalists responded that the mass of Americans were selfish and passionate creatures. They thought that in a small republic this mass would steal the rights or property of the minority, and that tyranny could be much more

The Anti-Federalists liked the idea of checks and balances, but argued that the people should be the ones checking. Their belief in the people is along the lines of my thought process. I think that no one man or group of men should have too much power. The Federalists wanted to take “the power out of the hands of the people” (Amy Kulauga). The United States Constitution is supposed to be for the people, but having a national government run by elites is not for the people. The Federalists said that people are selfish and would steal rights and property from the minority, but with all the power in the national government, the elites are stealing the people’s rights. This strong national government would not even be close to the people, and could not possibly hear everyone’s voice, and therefore are robbing the people’s freedom to voice. A small republic would be “more within the reach of the citizens” (Amanda Conover quoting Brutus).

James Madison, one of the great thinkers of the Federalists, believed that there would be no corruption in a large republic. His theory was that if there was a big enough republic, one person could not “infect” the rest of the elite. He also thought that representation would be much more effective than that of a small republic. Madison says in the Federalist number 10 “In the next place, as each representative will be chosen by a greater number of citizens in the large that in the small republic, it will be more difficul

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