Thomas Jefferson wanted to keep government simple and frugal. He wanted government to thwart men from injuring one another but otherwise let them run affairs themselves. In Jefferson’s “to John Adams,” he wrote “But since the invention of gunpowder has armed the weak as well as the strong with missile death, bodily strength, like beauty, good humor, politeness, and other accomplishments has become an auxiliary ground for distinction” (314). Jefferson wanted rule by the people and strong state governments; he did not want too much power concentrated in one area. He did not believe that the “aristoi” should rule, that being ruled by the “best” would be like a monarchy. The superlative way to protect the liberties of the people in Jefferson’s eyes was to limit government by a strict interpretation of the Constitution. In “to James Madison,” he said “I own I am not a friend to a very energetic government” (313). Jefferson wanted an agrarian based economy instead of taking raw …show more content…
He distrusted any form of government that gave power to the common people. Jefferson assumed people could make informed decisions for their country if they had all the details. Hamilton believed such a system would bring nothing but confusion and instability. Unlike Jefferson’s view of aristoi being prejudicial, Hamilton felt the richest, most educated men should have the future in their hands. He favored a strong national government and believed in a loose interpretation of the Constitution. The right of the states was not as important as national power and unity. Hamilton’s dreams for the nation depended upon the development of a strong economy. In the 1700s the economy was still based around agriculture. To expand the economy and the nation’s wealth he wanted to use the federal government to flourish business, manufacturing, and trade (Alexander