Liberalism and Political Allegiance in Anti-Federalist Political Thought

Abstract

Disagreement between Federalists and Anti-Federalists over the Constitution hinged largely on empirical expectations regarding the ability of the proposed system of government to promote civic allegiance. I examine the views of allegiance offered by major Anti-Federalists and the political psychology on which they are based. I conclude, first, that Anti-Federalist political psychology is flawed, leaving the Constitution's opponents vulnerable to charges made by the authors of The Federalist, among others, that sound functioning and durability of government, rather than size, are sufficient to generate civic allegiance. Second, the Anti-Federalists' positions on allegiance are grounded in liberal first principles of government. The arguments offered are not those one would expect if the Anti-Federalists adhered strongly to the tenets of civic humanism.