Question

Read the excerpt from the Publius. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. —Publius How would Federalists most likely respond to this?

Answer 1

Federalists would agree with the need for both external and internal controls on the government to prevent tyranny and overreach while promoting social stability and effective governance.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to the excerpt from Publius, Federalists would most likely respond by reinforcing the notion of checks and balances as a means to control both the governed and the government itself. The Federalists, including figures like Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, emphasized the importance of a strong centralized government to ensure social stability and the ability to act effectively in foreign affairs. By establishing a government with separate branches, they believed it would prevent any one part from becoming too powerful and thus protect liberty. They also suggested that the ambition of those within each branch would act as a personal motive to prevent overreach, effectively resulting in a system where ambition was made to counteract ambition. Moreover, Federalists supported broad construction when interpreting the Constitution, advocating for a government that catered to the interests of the elite as a means of benefiting all and ensuring a strong national union.

Answer 2

This is an excerpt from The Federalist Papers, a collection of articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay. These articles were signed under the pseudonym of "Publius." The main purpose of the essays was to promote the ratification of the Constitution.

It is likely that other Federalists would also agree with this statement. Moreover, they would argue that the fact that the government has to respect the Constitution allows for some of these problems to be resolved. Also, the separation of powers and the system of checks and balances contribute to reducing these issues.