Federalists and Anti-Federalists Federalism – A system of government in which power is constitutionally divided and demarcated between a central government and that of the provinces or states. Each level of government has its own powers and obligations to provide services and generate revenue. Unlike confederations, federal systems give the central authority some control over its citizens, thereby granting it some sovereignty. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay The difference is simple: one group agrees with federalism while anti-federalists do not believe in a nation federally governed with divided regions having their own rights. The conflict between Federalists and Anti-Federalists is that, the Anti-Federalists believed that the constitution and formation of a national government would lead to a monarchy or an aristocracy, the Federalist view of the country supported the belief that a national government based on the Articles of Confederation was inadequate to support a constantly growing and expanding nation. Once the Constitution was signed, the next step was ratification by at least nine states. Ratification by the states was by no means a foregone conclusion in 1887. Any state not ratifying the constitution would be considered a separate country. Federalists and Anti-Federalists had very different opinions on the type of government to form. The Anti-Federalists were composed primarily of farmers and merchants, ordinary people working to provide for their families, while the Federalists were composed of wealthy, elite plantation owners and businessmen. Three questions aroused great apprehension among anti-federalists when reading the draft Constitution: the size of the new nation, the problem of political representation and the disconcerting concentration of governmental powers. In interpreting the Constitution, the Anti-Federalists believed that because of these key issues and the way they were handled by the new government, their freedom was under serious threat. Their fear and distrust of the new government focused on the relatively small number of individuals who, under the new government, would hold the political reigns of the nation. For opponents of the Constitution, many warning signs of potential despotism were visible in the proposed government: the sole power of taxation, the lack of protection of liberties, the formation of a large military force, the dissolution of powers of the State and, above all, the concentration of powers in the hands of a few. It was this last question that seemed to concern the Anti-Federalists most, and logically so, since all other powers and laws prescribed by the Constitution had to be interpreted and executed by these men. Keep in mind: This is just a sample.Get a custom essay now from our expert writers.Get a Custom Essay Throughout Anti-Federalist writings, one of the recurring themes was the fear that 'Due to the centralization of power, it was inevitable that an oppressive form of government, rather than popular, democratic politics would soon follow.