Never Misunderstand The Anti-Federalist Papers

This invaluable book documents the political context in which the Constitution was born.



In September of 1787, the convention voted to accept the new constitution and pass it along to the states for ratification. As the states considered whether to adopt the Constitution, those who supported ratification, the Federalists, and those who opposed it, the Anti-Federalists, passionately courted the support of the people of the states. That debate, which was carried out not just in the legislative bodies of the states considering ratification, but also in essays published in newspapers and pamphlets, produced a wealth of brilliant writings about political power and the nature of government. The Anti-Federalists are particularly important, though somewhat overlooked, for the way they warned about the ways the Constitution's federalist system could be misused and for their role in the ratification process and the passing of the Bill of Rights.



The Anti-Federalist's primary concern was that the Constitution left too much room for the national government to oppress the people. There are common themes to be found in the several writings of the Anti-Federalists that tell us what they feared most about the Constitution. The scope of those themes goes beyond the particular time and situation in which the Anti-Federalists were writing. The concerns they raised about the Constitution can be applied to the government in general, to understand how governments oppress those they govern and what can be done to prevent such oppression. Some of their arguments were incorporated into the first ten amendments to the Constitution - the Bill of Rights - but others remained unaddressed. The persuasive and well-argued statements encompassed by this volume continue to provide a valuable and timely perspective on the necessary limits of power.