The Federalist Papers is a collection of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. The authors set out to convince New York State voters to ratify the Constitution proposed by the Constitutional Convention. The series ran in three New York newspapers between October 27, 1787 and August 10, 1788.
In the “Federalist Papers,” the writers expressed their sincere belief that the new Constitution provided a workable framework for government that would serve as an effective check on human nature and prevent tyranny from developing in America. They believed that if people were left alone to govern themselves with their own natural abilities, their self-interest would cause them to behave badly. Men were seen as inherently selfish, and therefore had to be controlled by some higher power to ensure protection for life, liberty, and property.
The writers agreed with the opinion of John Locke, who wrote in his Second Treatise of Civil Government that political agencies were created by men who existed naturally in a state of war against one another—a war only limited by the principal of natural rights.
The Federalist Papers emphasized that man’s nature must be kept in check because when individuals are left alone they tend to run riot without any restraint or control.
