40.4k views
2 votes
to what extent do you agree witht he statement that the constitution was written by self-interested menin order to protect their own interests, not to establish a fair, just, and democratic government for all americans

User Swpd
by
8.0k points

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

The Constitution's framers balanced self-interests with public interest, ideology, and constituent opinions. Republicans and Federalists had divergent views on how much self-interest influenced governance, but all agreed on limiting the chances of factional dominance and ensuring diverse representation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The creation of the Constitution involved diverse interests, including self-interested motives among its framers. While some framers may have had their own class interests to protect, this was balanced by ideological beliefs, opinions of constituents, and what they viewed as the public interest. For instance, Republicans like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were concerned about preserving the rights of the majority over minority interests, fearing a return to monarchy, and supported a strict construction of the Constitution to ensure a limited central government. On the other hand, the Federalists, like Alexander Hamilton and John Adams, thought stabilizing the nation through supporting the self-interests of the wealthy would benefit everyone. However, Madison argued in Federalist No. 10 that a large republic would make it difficult for factions to dominate and assured that representatives would not be biased in favor of their own self-interests. Lastly, the differing views on ratification between urban and rural Americans reflect that the economic impacts of the Constitution were a significant factor.

User Ankushbbbr
by
8.8k points

Related questions

asked Aug 15, 2024 222k views
Shomz asked Aug 15, 2024
by Shomz
8.7k points
1 answer
4 votes
222k views
asked Aug 2, 2024 203k views
Jmend asked Aug 2, 2024
by Jmend
8.2k points
1 answer
4 votes
203k views