Sunday, July 2, 2023

Bill Crawford: Remember Federalist Papers This Independence Day

If our founding fathers could watch the malfunction of government and the lack of reasoned discourse therein, what might they say?

A good place to look would be the Federalist Papers.

Oh, that’s right. Besides some judges, scholars, and historians, few Americans today have a clue about the Federalist Papers. Few care, as modern culture deems much of our founding heritage as politically incorrect.

Too bad. James Madison, our fourth President and acknowledged father of our Constitution, had some relevant things to say.

In Federalist No. 10, published November 23, 1787, Madison writes about “factions” and their ability to thwart good government. By “faction,” Madison meant a cluster of citizens “united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community.”

He considered the rise and fall of factions an inescapable problem. “So strong is this propensity of mankind to fall into mutual animosities, that where no substantial occasion presents itself, the most frivolous and fanciful distinctions have been sufficient to kindle their unfriendly passions and excite their most violent conflicts.”

“It is in vain to say that enlightened statesmen will be able to adjust these clashing interests, and render them all subservient to the public good. Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.”

Oh my. Madison thought the role of government was to provide for the “common good,” not to serve the interests of one or more factions. What planet was he from?

Madison was particularly concerned should a faction become the majority in government, writing such occurrence “enables it to sacrifice to its ruling passion or interest both the public good and the rights of other citizens.”

Oh no. He cared about the rights of all citizens, too.

Sarcasm aside, Madison and his fellow authors of the Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, believed the “representative republic” set forth in our Constitution would disable the means for factions to dominate government.

“A firm Union will be of the utmost moment to the peace and liberty of the States, as a barrier against domestic faction and insurrection,” wrote Hamilton in Federalist No. 9.

Yet, domestic faction has come to dominate government as both Republican and Democratic parties devolved from big tents into narrow factions.

As we celebrate Independence Day, we ought to consider what our founding fathers had to say. All 85 essays in the Federalist Papers may be too much, but it’s easy to search the Internet and read summaries. Collectively, these papers represent one of the great examples of reasoned discourse in civilized history. They should not just fade away, nor our founding heritage.

“Show me the path where I should go, O Lord” – Psalm 24:4.

Crawford is a syndicated columnist from Jackson.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Federalist Papers are a real test of reading comprehension compounded by historical shifts in meanings of words. In trying to absorb these richly expressed opinions, I confess to reading each sentence, if not each phrase, several times. My mind feels stretched and exercised by the challenge.

Anonymous said...

@9:38am Well said and accurate. It's the reason the Republic is on the verge of oblivion as well. Younger generations weren't expected to stretch their minds and think deeply about the values that drive independence and success. They've been taught (for the last 60 years) that their "feelings" are more important that universal truths or facts.

Anonymous said...

And, I think Crawford would say, we will have an end to factionalism once conservatives (so-called) come to their senses and think as do I and people of my ilk.

Me, I'm more a fan of Jefferson when he wrote that bit about "whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government..."

Anonymous said...

Madison and the rest wrote from experience as we often do. They were not so great at seeing the future, otherwise they might have charted a different course. Many of the ills they warned about were already taking hold among their brethren. Even then. The Federalist Papers give us an insight on the thought process of SOME of the founding fathers, nothing more.

Anonymous said...

10:39am
I am 9:38am, and commented toward respecting the Founders' Federalist Papers and intellect, regardless of their particular bent. "Faction" vs unity in today's language and culture where media and leftist politics have aligned requires opposing factions to resist leftist tyranny. I agree with you that Jefferson's words were applicable to his era and ours.

Anonymous said...

@10:39 if the Supreme Court continues on its current path you can bet there are going to be changes to laws that govern us. Luckily Biden isn’t buying busting up or changing the court. The people will be heard at the ballot box regardless of the current voter suppression tactics. The majority isn’t in favor of many of their moves and the majority rules in the end.

East of Eden IV said...

@ 9:38 - If you're of a democrat stripe, you quickly reached a conclusion in keeping with the narrative of your 'tent masters'. And all opposing opinions were either void or shouted down and not allowed.

But, if you're of a republican stripe, you're at least open to minimal debate, in a civil venue. Tell me I'm wrong.

Anonymous said...

2:11pm
I respect the intellect of our Founding Fathers and how they expressed their opinions in the Federalist Papers. Those thoughts are so densely presented and challenging to comprehend in a couple swallows, it makes me wonder
1. At the expense of paper and ink at the time;
2. If English has withered as a language in the centuries since our inception.

Anonymous said...

2:11 You're wrong because what you say applies to SOME Democrats and to SOME
Republicans not 100% of either. The broad brush is the tool of the ignorant.

Anonymous said...

When your in the majority, you are going to be louder!

Anonymous said...

I’ve been criticizing Bill Crawford on JJ as a lap dog for Democrats for years. Some of the criticisms made the cut and were posted, some didn’t.

Bill’s article today is not only the best I’ve seen from him, but one of the most constructive and non-partisan articles I’ve read in a while. Thank you, Bill!

Until real men of principle (not many of them around these days) speak up and decide we’re not going along with immoral insanity anymore, even if it means losing elections, the country’s downward spiral will continue.


Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils; ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. 1 Corinthians 10:21

Anonymous said...

It’s all the other party’s fault.

Anonymous said...

Just want to ask 1:11 about “current voter suppression tactics”. Democrats like to level this accusation a lot. Is registration being blocked? Doubtful. That individual would be a national media story. They like to point out low participation in minority communities and imply voter suppression but I know and have discussed many times with friends and coworkers (particularly in Jackson) why they won’t vote and help us all get better people in office. Most problems are more practical and less conspiracy but conspiracy seems to be the knee jerk answer to everything these days. If you have real relationships and real conversations in the community you’ll find they don’t vote for one or more personal reasons such as basic apathy with politics, not wanting to called for jury duty (which needs to be unhinged from voter registration btw due to it being an ACTUAL yet unintended voter suppression for all races) or they just don’t want to register name/address with another government entity. I don’t understand the last one but get that one a lot. Some just like being hard to find. Practical reasons. Most of those you like to think are doing all the scheming have their days tied up with work, family responsibilities and a little sleep. I imagine voter registration in Jackson (where registration, voting locations, poll workers, election commissioners, etc.) is probably as poor or a lower % as is their registration rates in other counties where I’m sure you are convinced they are being “suppressed”.

Anonymous said...

@11:37
“They were not so great at seeing the future”
The founding fathers absolutely new the future, because they understood human behavior and designed checks and balances to distribute power and keep the people safe from tyranny.

Wheel of Morality said...

You have a point, 3:05, but please point me to some of those conservative democrats to whom the 'broad brush' doesn't apply.

I'm not saying they don't exist but am hoping in my remaining time on this side of the dirt that I will meet one someday.

Anonymous said...

Come on, folks - Mississippi legislature loves picking its voters. Look at Senate District 42, for example.

Perhaps, it's time we embrace the ideals of our founding fathers by voluntarily reliquishing power to the people?

https://docsouth.unc.edu/imls/missconv/missconv.html

Anonymous said...

7:00 Nobody but God and maybe some psychic can know the future, and I have
doubts about psychics, but I do respect the ability of wise men to study the past and to chart a course avoiding the probable pitfalls based on what they have already seen or experienced. The founding fathers did that, but they could not see and know all the bullshit we have wrought any more than we know the bullshit that will happen 200 years from now.


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