Question

Who can deny but the president general will be a king to all intents and purposes and one of the most dangerous kind too—a king elected to command a standing army. thus our laws are to be administered by this tyrant; for the whole, or at least the most important part of the executive department is put in his hands. —from anti-federalist no. 74, 1788 what apprehension about the single-executive system is suggested in this excerpt?

1) the presidency will be hereditary.
2) the president's power will be wide-ranging.
3) the president will be in charge of the military.
4) the president will not be answerable to any other authority.

Answer 1

The excerpt implies a fear that the president's power will be wide-ranging and potentially oppressive, resembling a tyrant. However, the Federalist Papers assured the executive role would be safeguarded from corruption and checked by other branches of government.

Step-by-step explanation:

The apprehension about the single-executive system suggested in the excerpt from Anti-Federalist No. 74, 1788, is that the president's power will be wide-ranging. The fear expressed is that the President General, being in command of a standing army and possessing the main responsibilities of the executive department, could become akin to a monarch, or a 'tyrant', potentially using this power to administer laws in a way that violates the rights and freedoms the newly formed United States sought to guarantee. This reflects the deep concerns that some had during the time when the Constitution was being drafted, with Anti-Federalists advocating for more constraints on the executive branch to prevent such an outcome.

Despite these fears, the Federalist Papers, particularly Federalist No. 68 and Federalist No. 70, offered reassurances that the executive branch would not become tyrannical. Alexander Hamilton assured that the system of electors would prevent corruption and the influence of factions.

Moreover, the power of the presidency was designed to be checked by the other branches of government, preventing unilateral actions without collaboration and compromise, ensuring that the president would not be able to act without being answerable to other authorities.