Federalist Views on Equality
The Federalists believed in legal and political equality, but not necessarily social or economic equality. They valued:
• Equality before the law: All citizens should be treated equally under the law, regardless of social status.
• Equal political rights: They supported broad suffrage for white men, believing in citizen participation in government.
• Fairness: The government should operate fairly and impartially, without favoring specific groups or individuals.5
However, they did not advocate for:
• Egalitarianism: They accepted social hierarchies and did not believe in equalizing wealth or social status.
• Equality of outcome: They focused on equal opportunities, not guaranteeing equal results for all.
Power Balance
The Federalists sought to balance power in several ways:
• Between people and government: The Constitution limits governmental power through enumerated powers and the Bill of Rights, protecting individual liberties.6
• Between state and federal governments: Federalism divides powers, allowing states to manage local affairs while the federal government handles national issues.7
• Among factions: They believed a large republic with diverse interests would prevent any single faction from dominating the government.8
Technology, Big Business, and Europe
The Federalists lived in a time of limited technology and before the rise of big business as we know it.9 However, we can infer their potential views:
• Technology: They likely would have supported technological advancement for economic growth and national strength, but also recognized the need for regulation to mitigate potential harms.
• Big business: They might have favored well-regulated large-scale enterprises for economic development, but also been wary of monopolies and their potential for abuse.
• Europe: They recognized the importance of foreign relations and trade with Europe, but advocated for an independent American foreign policy, avoiding entanglement in European conflicts.10
Conclusion
The Federalists designed a system of balanced government with separated powers, checks and balances, and federalism.11 They valued legal and political equality, but did not necessarily advocate for social or economic egalitarianism.12 They sought to balance power between different levels and branches of government, as well as among factions.13 While their views on technology and big business are speculative, they likely would have favored regulated advancement and enterprise. They advocated for an independent American stance in relation to Europe.14