{"id":2289031,"date":"2024-07-04T01:47:59","date_gmt":"2024-07-04T05:47:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-you-should-read-the-federalist-papers-this-july-fourth\/"},"modified":"2024-07-04T01:52:57","modified_gmt":"2024-07-04T05:52:57","slug":"why-you-should-read-the-federalist-papers-this-july-fourth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-you-should-read-the-federalist-papers-this-july-fourth\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Read The Federalist Papers This July Fourth"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwhy-you-should-read-the-federalist-papers-this-july-fourth%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2289031&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Summary:<\/p>\n<p>The query highlights the struggle within the American <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/can-biden-help-unite-america\/\" title=\"Can Biden Help Unite America?\">political system<\/a> in 2024, as evidenced by a Pew Survey showing low approval of governmental institutions and political\u200b parties. Various suggested \u200dchanges include revising Senate\u200b representation, \u200dimplementing \u200dterm\u200b limits for\u2062 the Supreme \u200dCourt, and Addressing the challenges outlined in the \u200cPew Research Center survey regarding the negative views of politics and elected officials in the United States is crucial for\u200d fostering trust and credibility in the American political system.\u200c One\u2064 proposed solution to enhance the \u2063system&#8217;s \u200beffectiveness \u2064could involve revising Senate representation to ensure fair and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cnn-guest-refuses-to-take-the-bait-contradicts-don-lemon-on-slavery\/\" title=\"CNN Guest Refuses To Take The \u2018Bait,\u2019 Contradicts Don Lemon On Slavery\">proportional representation<\/a> of \u200ccitizens&#8217; views.<\/p>\n<p>Implementing term \u2063limits\u2064 for the Supreme \u200bCourt could\u2064 also contribute to increasing accountability within the judiciary\u2064 branch and prevent potential entrenchment of ideological biases. This measure \u2064could \u2062help \u2062ensure a more \u200bdynamic and responsive \u200bSupreme Court that reflects the evolving values \u200cand \u200dneeds of American society.<\/p>\n<p>these suggested changes aim \u2063to address the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nba-hands-down-25-game-suspension-to-ja-morant-for-gun-toting-video\/\" title=\"Ja Morant receives a 25-game suspension from the NBA for video with firearms.\">underlying issues contributing<\/a> to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republican-flips-iowa-state-house-seat-held-by-democrats-for-decades\/\" title=\"Republican Flips Iowa State House Seat Held By Democrats For Decades\">low approval ratings<\/a> of governmental institutions \u200dand \u200cpolitical parties in the United \u2063States. By implementing reforms that promote transparency, accountability, and representation, the American political landscape in 2024 could potentially see improvements in public trust and satisfaction with the \u200cgovernment.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>One of the few things Americans agree about in 2024 is that our political system is struggling. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/politics\/2023\/09\/19\/americans-dismal-views-of-the-nations-politics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pew Survey<\/a> last year found that positive views of many governmental and political institutions are at historic lows and that an increasing share of the public dislikes both political parties. From this frustration comes many suggested changes: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/interactive\/2023\/us-senate-bias-white-rural-voters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">revising<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2022\/11\/change-the-senate-vicki-c-jackson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ending<\/a> equal state representation in the Senate, creating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brennancenter.org\/term-limits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">term limits<\/a> for the Supreme Court, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brookings.edu\/articles\/its-time-to-abolish-the-electoral-college\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">abolishing<\/a> the Electoral College.<\/p>\n<p>Yet the reasons offered for such suggestions would represent a departure from the writings of The Federalist Papers, that collection of 85 essays penned by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the shared pseudonym Publius to promote the ratification of our Constitution. Given Americans\u2019 embarrassing ignorance regarding the basics of our government \u2014 only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/short-reads\/2023\/11\/07\/what-americans-know-about-their-government\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">44 percent<\/a> know the length of a full Senate term, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uschamberfoundation.org\/civics\/new-study-finds-alarming-lack-of-civic-literacy-among-americans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a third<\/a> do not know there are three branches of government\u00a0\u2014 perhaps we need to better understand why our government was created the way it is. And what better day than Independence Day to reflect on the relevance of these incredible documents for our constitutional government?<\/p>\n<h2>Why The Federalist Papers Still Matter<\/h2>\n<p>Those familiar with the musical \u201cHamilton\u201d will know that the Articles of Confederation, our nation\u2019s first attempt at a national constitution, failed miserably. The federal government was beholden to the states, who could conduct their own foreign policy, print their own money, and were not required to deliver tax revenue to the federal government. Congress required nine of 13 states to ratify any law, and it was almost impossible to amend the Articles. The Constitutional Convention that met in 1787 offered a solution to that problem \u2014 a federal system with more power vested in the central government \u2014 but it still had to be ratified by the states, something the Anti-Federalist camp, led by politicians such as Patrick Henry, attempted to prevent.<\/p>\n<p>Hamilton (who wrote the majority of The Federalist Papers), Madison (who arguably wrote the most important ones), and Jay (who wrote five) joined forces to defend the new Constitution and address the various charges leveled by the Anti-Federalists. Though not themselves binding as law, as is the Constitution, The Federalist Papers, similar to the Declaration of Independence, serve as invaluable interpretive documents regarding our founding principles.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, The Federalist Papers are <a href=\"https:\/\/lawliberty.org\/forum\/why-do-we-still-read-the-federalist-papers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cited<\/a> far more than any other source in Supreme Court jurisprudence. Chief Justice John Marshall in <em>Cohens v. Virginia<\/em> (1821) called it \u201ca complete commentary on our constitution; and is appealed to by all parties in the questions to which that instrument has given birth.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>If You\u2019re Going to Read The Federalist Papers\u2026<\/h2>\n<p>The Federalist Papers can seem intimidating, given both their language \u2014 which can be fairly technical and dense \u2014 and that there are so many of them. Where to begin? Must they be read from beginning to end? The short answer is no. Though all The Federalist Papers are worth reading, there are some whose influence and relevance outpaces the rest. Here I\u2019ll offer a brief appetizer to what many political thinkers assess to be the most important ones, any of which could easily be read over a beer before or after your Independence Day cookout.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Federalist No. 2:<\/strong> This paper, by Jay, notes some of the qualities that make the United States particularly capable of self-government. One of these is that America, unlike other nations \u201ccomposed of detached and distant territories,\u201d is instead \u201cone connected, fertile, widespreading country\u201d with a variety of topography and climates. In language that should inform our debates on immigration and cultural relativism, Jay argues another strength is that America is \u201cone united people \u2014 a people descended from the same ancestors, speaking the same language, professing the same religion, attached to the same principles of government, very similar in their manners and customs\u2026\u201d All of this, Jay observes, appears to be the \u201cdesign of Providence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Federalist No. 6:<\/strong> Hamilton here offers a sober assessment of the nature of man, who is \u201cambitious, vindictive, and rapacious.\u201d In words that would shock those who aim to forcibly export democracy around the world, Hamilton rhetorically asks: \u201cHave republics in practice been less addicted to war than monarchies? Are not the former administered by <em>men <\/em>as well as the latter?\u201d Thus, Hamilton warns utopians against the \u201cdeceitful dream of a golden age,\u201d accomplished by some allegedly perfect political structure that will enable man to transcend his tendency to sin and selfishness.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Federalist No 10:<\/strong> In Madison\u2019s first essay, the \u201cfather of the Constitution\u201d swings for the fences, arguing that a \u201cwell-constructed Union\u201d is capable of controlling the inevitable violence of factions that is \u201csown into the nature of man.\u201d Our eventual fourth president observes that you can neither remove the causes of faction by vitiating people\u2019s liberty nor coercing everyone into the same opinions, passions, and interests \u2014 both of which are, of course, antithetical to the American project. Or you can attempt to minimize the effects of faction via a large republican government (i.e. the United States).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Federalist No. 51:<\/strong> This is another Madison gem, in which he argues that the federal government should have \u201cchecks and balances\u201d between the different branches and be as independent as possible so that one branch does not exert a dominating influence over the others. (What would he think of the power of the executive branch today?) Madison praises the decentralized political system created by the Constitution, in which \u201csociety itself will be broken into so many parts, interests, and classes of citizens, that the rights of individuals, or the minority, will be in little danger from interested combinations of the majority.\u201d This is also the famous essay featuring the phrase: \u201cIf men were angels, no government would be necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Homework for this Fourth of July<\/h2>\n<p>I hope this very brief synopsis of a few of the most influential of The Federalist Papers is enough to persuade you to give a few minutes to one or more of them this holiday celebrating the greatest nation on Earth. If you want a few more suggestions, essays No. 1, 9, 15, 33, 39, 48, 49, 62, 63, 70-72, and 84 are also influential. <\/p>\n<p>Forget what the condescending elites of our legacy institutions in the academy and media tell us about the need to overthrow our constitutional order for the sake of \u201cdemocracy\u201d or, as is often cynically and erroneously claimed, because the framers were bent on self-aggrandizement. Rather, as <em>The<\/em> Federalist Papers warn, the left\u2019s political suggestions would only bring about the very evils our Founding Fathers feared, including the enrichment and empowering of an elite class.<\/p>\n<p>Our government was formed by an alliance of some of the most brilliant political thinkers in history, who, for some providential reason, all happened to live in the same generation and the same nation. It\u2019s our failure to remember and understand their wisdom \u2014 rather than some defect in the timeless truths they espoused \u2014 that explains much of the struggles of our contemporary age. Familiarizing ourselves with our Constitution and its most illustrious interpreters in The Federalist Papers will do much to restore our political sanity. This Independence Day, you have your homework.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Casey Chalk is a senior contributor at The Federalist and an editor and columnist at The New Oxford Review. He has a bachelor\u2019s in history and master\u2019s in teaching from the University of Virginia and a master\u2019s in theology from Christendom College. He is the author of The Persecuted: True Stories of Courageous Christians Living Their Faith in Muslim Lands.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In 2024, Americans are united in their belief that the political system is struggling. A Pew Survey revealed that many have negative views of governmental institutions and political parties. Suggestions for change include revising Senate representation, implementing Supreme Court term limits, and abolishing the Electoral College. However, these proposals would deviate from the principles outlined in The Federalist Papers, a collection of essays by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. Given the lack of knowledge about the government among Americans, it is important to understand why our government was structured the way it is. The Federalist Papers remain relevant today and offer valuable insights into our constitutional government. The essays are frequently cited in Supreme Court decisions and provide a commentary on the Constitution. It is recommended to read some of the most influential papers, such as Federalist No. 2, 6, 10, and 51, to gain a better understanding of the founding principles of the United States. Familiarizing ourselves with these documents can help restore political sanity in our contemporary age. This Independence Day, it is suggested to reflect on the wisdom of The Federalist Papers and the principles they espouse<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":658,"featured_media":2289032,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/The_Federalist_1788-scaled-e1719864050430.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[33895,33621,5894],"class_list":["post-2289031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-founding-fathers","tag-july-fourth","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/The_Federalist_1788-scaled-e1719864050430.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2289031","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/658"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2289031"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2289031\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2289032"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2289031"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2289031"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2289031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}