In contrast, a military that exists in a country that does not fear invasion can
sustain the civil state in full vigor. Citizens neither love nor fear the
military because they don't need to rely upon it for protection. An example is
the well-fortified Britain, in which a long history of liberty has been
sustained.
If people really think about the natural consequences to a weak or nonexistent
union, they will not hesitate to part with their small objections to the
proposed Constitution. Rejecting the U.S. Constitution will
inevitably lead to the final destruction of the union.
A firm union is essential, as is a republican form of government to support that
union. Although critics point to the ancient Greek and Roman republics of
examples of government in constant change between anarchy and tyranny, they do
not recognize that much has improved in politics and the understanding of
government since ancient times. Having learned about the importance of
separation of powers, and the people's representation in a legislature, the
farmers of the Constitution have empowered the good things about republican
government, while lessening or avoiding its imperfections.
Critics also disapprove of a confederacy, and use Montesquieu's argument of
compactness as justification that the current nation is too large and spread out
for an effective republican government. This argument may apply to justify
breaking up large states like Virginia, New York and Massachusetts, but not to
preventing the formation of what Montesquieu calls a confederate republic. A
republic that is formed by smaller states agreeing to become members of a larger
one is ideal for extending the sphere of popular government without reducing its
compactness.
A confederate republic is an association of 2 or more states into one state
without abolishing the separate organization of each state, but by compelling
them to be in perfect subordination to the authority of the union. The state
governments exist on constitutional necessity for local purposes, are directly
represented in the Senate, and still retain very important sovereign powers. The
proposed plan of government is still a confederacy, but one that corresponds
fully with the idea of a federal government.
Commentary
In highlighting the inherent weaknesses of confederacies in general, the
Federalist essays expose the overly optimistic views of the framers of the
Articles of Confederation that the states would willingly work
together without a strong outside force. Additionally, Publius argues that
such a confederacy ultimately threatens the civil liberties of the citizens and
that the union can only be effectively protected by a republican form of
government, that happens to be fully justified by the writings of Montesquieu.
