The power of reason

In human affairs, great political transformations have often been accompanied by wars and revolutions. Changes rarely happen peacefully. In addition to the example given by our country in 1946 with the passage from the monarchy to the republic by referendum, another significant episode of peaceful transformation was the passage from a confederation to a federation of the newborn American states in 1787. It was a decisive stage in liberal and democratic constitutionalism.

After declaring independence in 1776 and defeating Great Britain, the 13 American colonies became independent states. At the beginning, each state maintained great autonomy from the others. Thus, conflicts arose, commercial disputes that threatened to weaken them and lead them to war. The unsustainability of the situation and the fear of a new British initiative prompted the Americans to discuss their fate in a special convention in Philadelphia. The idea prevailed that only a federal-type unit could better safeguard independence from external enemies and ensure the prosperity of its citizens. Only by generating a strong unity capable - at the same time - of safeguarding differences could it be possible to survive and grow. With all the limitations of the case, it cannot be denied that they were right. Within this story, however, we want to focus on a particular moment. At the end of the work of the Philadelphia Convention that led to the drafting of the federal Constitution still in force, each individual state had to ratify the agreement. In New York, the controversy was very heated. Attacks on the new constitution multiplied in the newspapers accused of increasing central power at the expense of local ones. Three great politicians, who then had enormous responsibilities in the federal government, took it upon themselves to respond to the accusations by writing numerous articles addressed to the people of New York. Point by point, with calmness and precision, they demonstrated the usefulness of the Union for individual and collective prosperity, the goodness of the republican system for the defense of freedom. They were called Hamilton, Madison and Jay. Madison even became the fourth president of the United States.

The validity of their writings was immediately recognized so much so that the articles were collected in a text The Federalist which is still one of the most important texts of constitutional doctrine. It was certainly not only their merit that the population in New York chose to ratify the Constitution. But their work teaches something to our present: it is possible to engage in politics using words to explain and not to offend, to propose arguments and not empty slogans, to speak without shouting and demonizing. Perhaps this way we can go a lot further.


Renato Bonomo
NP October 2020