There are several reasons why our elected
officials appear unreasonable. Neither side wants to concede ground,
lose face, or give up what their party stands for. They each have a
vested interest in protecting their position as it either means they
could the support of voters, prominent positions within their party, or
financial backing. But, each of our officials, although its sometimes
hard to believe, have a committed view of what's right, just like most
of us.
After
the men who drafted the Constitution departed Philadelphia and returned
to their home states the fight for ratification was on. This collection
of men, which included Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, James
Madison, Alexander Hamilton and many others, were tasked with revising
the Articles of Confederation not creating new governing document that
would get rid of the Continental Congress and the Articles of
Confederation in their entirety.
Given
the conditions surrounding its creation there should be no surprise
that there were objections to the new document. The general reaction to
the Constitution was that it created too powerful a government,
particularly at the national level. The people who opposed the
ratification were collectively known as the Antifederalists and those
who supported the ratification were the Federalists. The most prominent
Federalists were James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton who
wrote under the pen name Publius. Publius wrote what are essentially
modern day op-eds about why the new constitution should be ratified. The
essays were published in newspapers so that the people of New York, to
whom they essays were addressed, could better understand their reasons
for seeking ratification. The Antifederalists embarked on similar PR
campaign, albeit one that was less successful obviously.
Each
of the people involved felt strongly for their position and argued it
well. Neither side seemed willing to budge. But at the time, even the
polar extremes possessed the virtue of humility. Benjamin Franklin
exhibited the social benefits of humility.
By
changing his manner of speech Benjamin Franklin was able to recognize
how humility makes one more sociable even if that humility is only
superficial. For instance, when being less assertive and speaking in
terms of certainty and absolutes, Franklin found that when he positioned
his argument in less positive, and more conditional terms, he was able
to be more sociable and interact in a more positive way. For
instance, in Franklin’s account, he is outwardly humble because he
finds that people are more receptive to his arguments when he uses
phrases which connote humility such as “it appears as if” or “perhaps we
can say” rather than positive assertions that connote pride such as “it
certainly is” or “it is undeniably so."
Changing
one's manner of speech is the first step, recognizing that one's
cognitive capacities are limited and therefore one is fallible is a step
most don't take. But if we can have humility in our speech, if not in
our character, reconciliation may in fact become possible even over the
most divisive matters.
Today, the Papers are studied in courses on American government, American political thought, and constitutional law. However, the size and organization of the full text, notwithstanding its complex political concepts and context, make it difficult for students to apprehend. The Reader’s Guide will be a key tool to help them understand the issues at hand and the significance of the Papers then and now. Organized around key issues, such as the branches of the government, the utility of the Union, or skepticism of a national regime, the work will walk the reader through the 85 Papers, providing them with the needed intellectual and historical contexts.
Designed to supplement the reading of The Federalist Papers, the guide will help elucidate not only their contents, but also their importance and contemporary relevance.
Kyle Scott, PhD, teaches American politics and constitutional law at Duke University. He has published three books and dozens of articles on issues ranging from political parties to Plato. His commentary on contemporary politics has appeared in Forbes, Reuters.com, Christian Science Monitor, Foxnews.com, and dozens of local outlets including the Philadelphia Inquirer and Baltimore Sun.
To find out more, please visit http://kyleascott.wordpress.com
Find him on Twitter at : ScottKyleA
Find him on Facebook at : http://www.facebook.com/kyleasc
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