Final answer:
The Federalists feared that without a strong national government, anarchy would prevail, as such centralized authority was crucial for social stability, national defense, and economic prosperity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Federalists were concerned that without a strong national government, anarchy would triumph. They believed in a central government that had the power to maintain an army and navy, regulate trade, place tariffs on imports, and fund infrastructural improvements.
Federalists like Alexander Hamilton and John Adams advocated for stability through a government that supported the interests of the few, ensuring benefits for all and creating a strong national union. The Federalists' fear was that without such centralized authority, the nation would experience domestic faction, insurrection, and would be vulnerable to foreign interference.
Opposition from Anti-Federalists stemmed from concerns that the states would lose power and that a strong central government would endanger the principles they believed were established during the American Revolution. The Federalist concept was countered by the Democratic-Republican emphasis on local autonomy and the dangers of centralized power which would later evolve into states' rights conflicts.