• Federalist 20 - The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union

  • Oct 2 2023
  • Length: 13 mins
  • Podcast

Federalist 20 - The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union

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  • Summary

  • Federalist No. 20, penned by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, continues the examination of confederate systems of government, which was initiated in Federalist No. 15. This paper focuses particularly on the example of the United Netherlands, a confederation that, while appearing to be effective on the surface, is revealed to have significant flaws upon closer examination.The Dutch Confederacy is described as complex, consisting of several sovereign states bound together under a federal structure. Despite this intricate framework, the authors point out that the central government has little real authority over individual provinces. Instead, most power resides with the states, leading to inefficiencies and ineffectiveness. The Dutch model requires unanimity for federal decisions, which makes the process cumbersome and often leads to inaction or compromise solutions that satisfy no one.Hamilton and Madison highlight the shortcomings of a government system in which the federal government lacks direct authority over the people and has to work through state governments. They argue that the United Netherlands serves as a cautionary example of how such confederate systems can be paralyzed by their own complexity and structural weaknesses.The paper concludes by reinforcing the argument for a strong, centralized American government as proposed in the new U.S. Constitution. Hamilton and Madison assert that the proposed federal structure would address many of the weaknesses inherent in confederate systems by creating a strong central authority capable of direct action and equipped with the necessary checks and balances to maintain liberty and justice.In essence, Federalist No. 20 serves as another persuasive argument for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, emphasizing the need for a robust federal system to avoid the pitfalls that have plagued historical confederacies like the United Netherlands.
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