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The Philosophies of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson Essay

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Preface The argument between Federalists and Anti-Federalists might seem long gone to American citizens, but still their philosophical foundations shape the teams, scope and size of the battlefield. These philosophies go back to two lone men, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Both fought aggressively for a government based on their ideas, and both did make portions of the now-standing American government. This essay will outline the political, social and economic philosophies of both men, how their philosophies influenced the government today, and a closing opinion.

Politics The political standings of Hamilton and Jefferson were the foundation and beginning of their lifelong arguments and disagreements. Hamilton was the leader …show more content…

Jefferson didn't like high taxes, tariffs, regulations or even a national bank. These were all in violation of the kind of society and government he wished to see. Jefferson believed in a utopia where all people would be self-sufficient farmers and have their own property, and a small government would be used to do the minimal amount of work needed to keep the peace. Therefore, an economic system was practically nonexistent. Alexander Hamilton, though, worked for a more complex economic system. He planned out a national debt, public credit, a national bank and a plan to pay off the debts the nation had accrued. He advocated to accept the old debts of the Articles of Confederation, war debts, and state debts under his economic policy because it gives the government some legitimacy, and it allows for the government to obtain credit from other countries easily. To Alexander Hamilton, that was just a small part of economics though. He needed to fund the government, and so he was willing to do so via tariffs, taxes, and bonds. This plan just called upon the clearing of the national debt, and didn't even cover the vast amounts of commerce and mercantilism that he hoped would emulate England.

Social The social philosophies were not as complicated, since they would be a direct product of the economy. It's evident that Jefferson's society would be small and simple, where all people would be

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