Brutus 1 | BRI’s Primary Source Essentials
Why did the Anti-Federalist so strongly oppose the proposed Constitution? In this rapid-fire episode of BRI’s Primary Source Essentials and Brutus 1 summary, learn the arguments made in Brutus 1 against the Constitution. Discover why the Anti-Federalists feared a large republic and other Brutus 1 main points.
Primary Source Essentials Brutus 1 Handout: https://bri-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/PSE+Brutus+1+handout.pdf
0:00 Hi. Welcome to Primary Source Essentials. In this episode we will briefly discuss Brutus Number One. Now the essential question in Brutus One is can the United States have adequate representation in a larger republic? Now the Anti Federalist supposed the ratification of the new Constitution.
0:22 The author of Brutus one was likely rock. Robert Yates of New York, who attended the Constitutional convention. It was published in October of 1787, only a month after the Constitutional Convention. And Brutus followed the writings of Enlightenment philosopher Montesquieu in thinking that only a small republic was possible.
0:43 Brutus One argued that a large republic was dangerous to liberty and tyranny would occur because representatives were not close to the sovereign people. Brutus Number One addresses several topics but starts by warning of unlimited legislative power in the new national
1:04 government because of the necessary and proper clause, the danger of unlimited power of taxation and also the power to raise armies. Moreover, Brutus was concerned that the states would be annihilated in favor of the central government. Most importantly, Brutus warned that in a large republic representation and the consent
1:28 of the governed were impossible because there were too few representatives over such a large area and therefore they could not know the popular will. Now, the Anti-Federalist’s fear of a strong federal government continued after the ratification of the Constitution in the early republic as
1:50 Jeffersonian Republicans resisted Alexander Hamilton’s financial plans. The question of the scale and scope of the federal government and representing the people have been perennial questions throughout US history and will continue to be so. The answer in Brutus One is that a large republic will not work because the people
2:12 will not be adequately represented and the central government too powerful. Thanks for watching and check out our other videos in Primary Source Essentials.
