Madison v. Hamilton

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4/23/2015

This class compares the political philosophies of founding fathers Madison and Hamilton.

Hamilton—Ruling Elite (Oligarchical):

The role of the general population was to be ruled by their elected officials.
He proposed the idea of the National Bank and believed that moving money toward industry would strengthen the economy.
He also championed the Alien Sedition Act, which punished speech in opposition to the Executive Branch.

Madison—Natural Law Populist:

The general population had to be educated to choose leaders wisely, and he believed that it was possible to find better ways for people to become more intimately involved in the government process. He supported a popular form of government where the people would be able to rule.
He was staunchly opposed to industrialism and the idea of a National Bank.
He believed that superfluous items are manufactured merely for the sake of continued industrialization. In contrast, the agrarian lifestyle was most valuable for Madison. Industrialization would only degrade the public character according to Madison. He also believed that a National Bank would encourage a small group to become wealthy.
He opposed the Alien Sedition Act because he believed that it blatantly violated the First Amendment.

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