Executive Power and the Federalist Papers

Paper Summary:

This paper examines Federalist 15. It shows how Hamilton argued that a strong executive power is desirable,and that it would be prevented from coming to resemble a monarchy due to the checks and balances of a republican form or government. It discusses why Hamilton believes that a strong executive would allow the United States to enjoy the best of both worlds.

From the Paper:

Hamilton argues in Federalist 15 that the government of the United States under the Articles of Confederation lacked "energy." What Hamilton meant was that the government was a paper tiger; it had no power or authority to back up its laws and rulings with force. In Federalist 70, Hamilton argues that "[d]ecision, activity, secrecy, and dispatch," are more likely to be found in an executive consisting of a single person in power. Hamilton suggests that there is no contradiction between republican liberty and a strong executive power because the checks and balances of Republican government would keep the President from wielding absolute power as in the case of monarchy. What Hamilton argues is that a strong executive would allow the United States to enjoy the best of both worlds.

More papers on Executive Power and the Federalist Papers:

• Essay # 45860 : "The Role of the American Executive"
• Persuasive Essay # 62811 : "Lincoln's Wartime Actions: An Example of the Tyranny of the Executive"
• Term Paper # 124414 : "The Philadelphia Convention"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: