In Federalist No. 7, Alexander Hamilton argues that unresolved disputes between states would inevitably lead to violence—making a strong federal authority essential to peace. But the logic that consolidates power to prevent conflict also reshapes how force is justified, centralized, and normalized. This essay examines where prevention ends and permission begins, and why that line still matters today.
Tag: Alexander Hamilton
Rivalry, Ambition, and the Seeds of Civil Conflict
In Federalist No. 6, Alexander Hamilton argues that separate American states would eventually clash out of rivalry, ambition, and economic competition — making the Constitution essential to preserving peace.
Choosing a Nation by Reason or by Force
Hamilton warns that the nation must choose whether it will be shaped by reasoned choice or by accident and force — a question that continues to define American democracy.
