Topic > Federalist Analysis No. 84

IndexBackgroundBackground and ContextHamilton's ArgumentRefutation of Anti-Federalist ArgumentsMeaning and LegacyConclusionWritten by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, these essays were originally published in newspapers in the late 1780s and aimed to persuade the citizens of New York to ratify the new proposed Constitution of the United States. Federalist No. 84, written by Alexander Hamilton, is a particularly important essay in this collection. In this essay I will analyze Federalist No. 84 and will examine its key arguments and its significance in the context of the debate on the ratification of the Constitution. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Background and Context Before delving into the analysis of Federalist #. 84, it is essential to understand the historical context in which it was written. At the time of the publication of The Federalist Papers, the United States was a young nation grappling with the challenges of governance and political organization. The Constitution, which had been drafted in 1787, faced fierce opposition from Anti-Federalists who were skeptical of a strong central government and feared that the Constitution would infringe on the rights and liberties of citizens. Hamilton, in Federalist No. 84, addresses one of the main concerns of the Anti-Federalists is the absence of a Bill of Rights in the proposed Constitution. The Bill of Rights, as we know it today, includes the first ten amendments to the Constitution and guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms to the American people. Hamilton's argument in Federalist no. 84 is that a separate Bill of Rights is unnecessary and redundant, as the Constitution itself adequately protects the rights of citizens. Hamilton's Argument Hamilton begins Federalist No. 84 recognizing the importance of individual freedoms and the need to protect them. He argues that the Constitution, as it stands, already contains provisions for the protection of rights, and the addition of a separate Bill of Rights would mean that the government has the power to violate any rights that are not explicitly listed. Hamilton argues that this implication is dangerous and that the inclusion of a Bill of Rights would undermine the very purpose of the Constitution – to limit the powers of the government and protect the liberties of the people. Hamilton also argues that the federal government, as outlined in the Constitution, is a government of enumerated powers. This means that the government can exercise only the powers explicitly granted to it by the Constitution, and all other powers are reserved to the states or the people. Hamilton claims that adding a Bill of Rights would imply that the federal government has the authority to infringe on rights that are not enumerated, which goes against the principles of limited government and separation of powers. Refutation of Anti-Federalist Arguments Throughout Federalist No. 84, Hamilton systematically refutes the arguments made by Anti-Federalists regarding the need for a Bill of Rights. It addresses specific concerns such as freedom of the press, the right to bear arms, and the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment, and argues that these rights are already protected by the structure and design of the Constitution. Hamilton argues that a Bill of Rights would be redundant and would only serve to create confusion and ambiguity in the interpretation and application of the law. Significance and Legacy Despite the persuasive arguments presented in Federalist no. 84, the Anti-Federalists' concerns about individual liberties and the potential abuse of government power could not be easily dismissed. In.