How the Federalists Viewed Human Nature And Its Impact on the Resulting Government System In the United States of America (Part 1) – Guest Essayist: Amy Zewe

The founding fathers, particularly the writers of the Federalist Papers, were well versed in the classics, Greek literature, historical records of successes and failures of governments, and the political theorists of their era. The Founders’ views of human nature are the basis upon which they created a democratic republic such as they did in America. This paper will examine elements of the how the Founders’ viewed human nature, and how that view influenced the resulting mechanisms placed within the Constitutional government of the United States. This examination will focus on James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Federalist Papers Numbers 6, 10, and 51, and other writings of Madison. In addition, the theories and writings of the era that influenced both Madison and other founding members of the federal government will be reviewed.

At the core of theorizing on governmental practices in the era that followed the Protestant Reformation was an increased emphasis, even respect, for the individual (Baradat 69). Thinkers and proponents of political theories, such as Locke, Hobbes, and Reasseau looked to the ancient Greeks and history for guidance on the nature of man and how government should be instituted to reflect that very nature. John Locke was particularly influential on the Founders and his ideas can be directly viewed in the preamble of the Declaration of Independence. It was Lockes’ struggle with the duality of man’s nature (though he was optimistic about it) that the Founders, particularly the nationalists Madison, Hamilton, and Jay who penned the Federalist Papers, focused.

Locke’s discussion of this issue is evident in his Second Treatise of Government. “Thus we are born free, as we are born rational; not that we have to exercise either.” (34). Locke continues, “The freedom then of man, and liberty of acting according to his own will, is grounded on his having reason, which is able to instruct him in that law he is to govern himself by…to turn him loose to an unrestrained liberty, before he has reason to guide him, is not allowing him the privilege of his nature to be free” (34). Later in the treatise upon discussion of the act and role of government, Locke states, “For he that thinks absolute power purifies men’s blood, and correct the baseness of human nature, need read but the history of this, or any other age, to be convinced of the contrary” (49). In addition to this recognition of the two seemingly opposite natures of man held at once, Locke illustrated this appeal to the Almighty when discussing men in the legislature: “Their power, in the utmost bounds of it, is limited to the public good of the society.…Thus the law of nature stands as an eternal rule to all men, legislators as well as others….to the  will of God, of which that is a declaration, and the fundamental law of nature being the preservation of mankind, no human sanction can be good, or valid against it” (71).  Thus, Locke is exposing the dangers that the ill side of human nature has in encroaching on the natural law and the consent of the governed—all of which is bestowed upon humanity by God.

Democracy, for the Founders, seemed to be the logical and desired conclusion on how to utilize the consent of the governed, the social contract, and the notion of popular sovereignty. However, past historical failures of democracy let the writers of the Federalist Papers, and other nationalists and confederates, to seek to devise remedies for these failures while still maintaining the ideals of the social contract and popular sovereignty. In order to construct these remedies contained in the experiment of a federal, Constitutional America, the Founders assimilated the nature of man to expose, address, and attempt to solve the ills that plagued democracy. As well, they attempted to exalt or exploit the blessings humanity has received from its Creator.