Antifederalists
Was the Constitution Sold on a Lie? Shays’ Rebellion and Ratification
Shays’ Rebellion was repeatedly cited by Federalists as a primary reason to replace the Articles of Confederation with a Constitution with a stronger central government. But what if the threat was exaggerated? Anti-Federalists sure thought so. In this episode,...
Top 3 Anti-Federalist Arguments: Controversy over the Constitution
Was the Constitution a recipe for tyranny? That’s what Patrick Henry, Brutus, Federal Farmer and many other Anti-Federalists feared. In this episode, we’ll explore three of their top arguments against ratification and their warnings about centralized power...
Force vs Freedom: Anti-Federalist Federal Farmer No. 6-7
Warning that some federalists were fakes who really wanted a totally consolidated system, Federal Farmer makes the case that too few representatives, coupled with a lack of clarity over the bounds of power, would lead to a system based on force rather than consent...
Undefined Power: Anti-Federalist Federal Farmer No. 4-5
Federal Farmer warned that liberty under the constitution would depend primarily on the worst of all possible checks, “the prudence, wisdom and moderation of those who manage the affairs of government.” Path to Liberty: March 11, 2024...