Anti-Federalists’ are worried that the government will find a way, over time, to take more and more power until they became an aristocracy. A more decentralized government with the states being supreme is being proposed by the Anti-Federalists’ in order to prevent this possible power consolidation. In addition, they find the bill of rights to be a need in order to prevent the government from trying to violate the rights of the people. As is said by Brutus I, “It might be here shewn, that the power in the federal legislative, to raise and support armies at pleasure, as well in peace as in war, and their controul over the militia, tend, not only to a consolidation of the government, but the destruction of liberty.”
The proposed plan by the Federalist’s is based upon a strong centralized government with a bicameral legislature controlled by using the checks and balances system between the branches. As was said in Federalist No. 51, “In republican government, the legislative authority necessarily predominates,” which would be Congress since it is the house with the most power because it represents the people’s will most closely. But by having Congress divided into two houses where both parts have representatives from all states, there is some degree of protection against Congress taking too much power. The government is also limited so that people’s rights are not imposed upon in any way.
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