The Anti-federalists opposing the ratification of the Constitution strongly emphasized that the Constitution did not have a place for a Bill of Rights. They stated that without a specific list of rights entitled to all citizens, the government would be able to abuse its power because there would not be a defined standard when judging rights. This was the con’s main argument; they persistently repeated a good government with checks and balances would be impossible to establish without a list of unalienable rights. The greatest concern is that the Anti-federalists fail to see and act on the nation’s interest as a whole. The current situation is unforgiving and demands immediate action and change; the Articles of Confederation has led the union to a literal standstill, economically and politically. National security is also endangered in the prospect of European (especially British) invasion. The only method to revert these problems is through a strong but balanced central government that can provide unity between states and the people while preserving national security. The Anti federalists are advocating for a rather decentralized government that though is better than the confederation, cannot resolve the status quo.
The disagreement between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists helped lead the development of political parties. This disagreement led to great disparities in political ideologies between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Their views were exactly in pure opposition; the Federalists idealized a powerful central government with a privileged and uncorrupted ruling class, while the Anti-Federalists advocated for a nation loosely knit with a decentralized government that focused on representation for all peoples. The first group in power, the Federalists, made many changed that dissatisfied the Anti-Federalists, and prompted them to form tight groups to make a stand at political resistance, leading to the rise of the early 19th century Republicans. The Constitution, overall, has promoted many different interests; it mainly supported the ideals and goals of the Federalists. It created a strong central government limited by checks and balances that held supreme power over the union of states. Its taxing power, executive branch, and standing army all supported Federalist interests for a unquestionable governmental authority that can provide stability and security to the country.
