Political Culturew

3rd 11/16/06

Political Cultures

James Madison cured the disease present in America during the seventeen eighties, at least a disease by Cosmopolitan or Federalist standards. The disease was too much, unrestrained freedom in the hands of the general population. This freedom if unchecked in Madison’s and other Federalist’s opinion would produce more tyranny than a king or prince. This so called “abuse of power” came from the constitution of the time, The Articles of the Confederation. This constitution gave power almost entirely to local governments. The people inhabiting these local governments were known as Localist and were in stark opposition of the Federalist perception of the constitution so they were given the title of Anti-Federalists. These Localists were self-serving farmers and merchants concerned only with local government, local problems and wished only to pay taxes for local government expenditures. They were also very suspicious of the aristocracy of the time, the Cosmopolitans and their goals, which worked towards the greater good. The Cosmos as they are referred to, were city folk which came from old money, were well educated, and felt strongly about civic duty. Their main priority was to