Political Parties and Philosophies 

Political parties were formed due to the contradicting views and opinions of many individuals. One party believed the government should be small and conservative while the opposing party believed the government should be large and liberal. Thomas Jefferson had his Democratic-Republican views and believed states and people should have the power. Alexander Hamilton had his views and believed the federal government should have the power and not the state/people.

Thomas Jefferson had many political philosophies and beliefs while he was in his presidential period that include many that later on change. While Jefferson was in office, he defined his presidency by creating a modern path for the country. He wanted the country to be renewed in his views of how the world should be. He also elected new cabinet members due to the fact the ones there before were made up of the opposing political party. Thomas wanted his cabinet members to be people from his own political party that shared the same philosophies and beliefs he had.

Jeffersonian was an idea created by Thomas Jefferson as a modest idea of our world. This Jeffersonian idea was created to believe in the power of education in the country. He believed education was one of the most important aspects in life. He also never believed the presidency was of great importance but thought that of education. Jefferson once said, “he believed that in a republic every individual needs to be educated up to his or her capacity”(20). Education was one of Jefferson’s many philosophies in his presidency. He did not believe practical arts were as important as education it self and political theories. Jefferson believed education was the solution for all difficulties or challenges, also known as panacea.

Thomas Jefferson watched the state capital be constructed and built on one the seven hills located in Richmond, Virginia. While observing this extraordinary construction, Jefferson wrote, “be worthy of being exhibited alongside the most celebrated remains of antiquity”. He believed the construction of the state capital was one of the greatest celebrated events in Virginia.

His political party was the Anti-federalists or also known as the Democratic-Republicans at this point in time. The Anti-federalist’s opposed the Constitution and lacked a Bill of Rights. Along with those they also believed in having a strong tyrannical center of power. The Democratic-Republican side believed in agrarian economy and rural areas like the south and west. They also wanted a small central government like the Anti-federalist. Democratic-Republicans wanted states to hold the power and not the federal government.

Jefferson had a plan when he went into his presidency of five things he wanted to bring attention to and change while he was in office. First of the five items was abolishing all internal tax then he would cut government staff. Depending on the political party the staff were apart of and how they viewed the government. He also wanted to reduce the army and navy. Finally he wanted to have all people own their own farms or land and become successful. This plan of Jefferson’s does not succeed in the end because of Barbary Pirates. Due to the Barbary Pirates there was an increase in the navy, because of the increase of the navy there was more trade globally. Jefferson’s decision to increase the navy was to stop having to pay tribute to the pirates. With the increase of trade globally they had to get New Orleans because of the ocean access. Due to New Orleans being in Louisiana while also being located in the Louisiana Purchase the government needed to purchase the land. Having the extra land then lead to the increase of government.

None of these occurrences were part of Jefferson’s plan but turned out to be the total opposite. This gave some Federalists the idea that Jefferson had some Federalists views while in office. “I made an effort in that body for the permission of emancipation of slaves, which was rejected: indeed during the regal government, nothing liberal could expect success”. At this period in time when Jefferson had first become a member of the legislature, he believed their was a limitation on the minds belief of “the duty to be subordinate to the mother country”. This party had constructionist views upon the government.

Alexander Hamilton came into the picture as a Federalist that wanted different outcomes compared to Thomas Jefferson. Along with being a man of courage, Thomas Jefferson saw a worthy antagonist in Alexander Hamilton. He had accomplished many notable and extraordinary things while he was apart of the Federalist Party in Congress. Alexander wanted to have a quasi-bank to be the high point of the fiscal program he had been working on. Hamilton had discussed with Jefferson about developing the First National Bank and Hamilton later got his bank he always wanted.

Hamilton believed he was a firm politician within the Federalist Party. While being apart of the Federalist Party, Hamilton had fixed the the conflict the states were having over the claims to land beyond the Appalachian Mountains. Alexander had also created the process of admitting and developing new states to the existing country of the United States. Hamilton was believed to be known as a reformer to the public due to some of his actions throughout the years. He also liked the idea of “suffering army, not the army it self”. Along with this idea, he also believed the way the government had the constitution was the wrong way or in his words, “a bad way”. One of his beliefs was to advance the argument of creating the Judicial Review before the Supreme Court was developed and created.

The political party Alexander Hamilton was apart was known as the Federalist Party. His party believed in having a large central government and to have more power over the states and country. They were also supporters of the constitution and how it was written. Feds also believed in a complex commercial system and world affairs. They liked dealing with other countries problems and helping them out. Along with the commercial system there was a belief in commercial centers. Federalists wanted a “more powerful federal government” but they were aggressive about the way they went. This party had liberal views of the government.

Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson did have some of the same views and agreed on some issues. One of the deals Jefferson and Hamilton could agree on was getting the south vote for assumption of state debts. In order for this to happen, Hamilton had to agree to shift the capital of the United States to the District of Columbia. Thomas and Alexander were both focusing on the political polarization of the nation. Both of them interpreted the meaning of the constitution the same. The meaning of the constitution from them both was “hyper-confident” Both of them believed in some type of power over the country just in slightly different ways.

The Federalist Party Alexander Hamilton was apart of believed in a large government and liberal views. The Democratic-Republican or the Anti-Federalists Party Thomas Jefferson was apart of believed in a small government and constructionist views. Anti-Federalists/Democratic-Republicans believed in opposing the constitution and Federalists believed in supporting the constitution.

Today’s political parties are known as the Democrats and Republicans. The parties views on government have changed a bit since the 17th and 18th Century compared to today’s. Republicans or Jeffersonian Republicans known during Jefferson’s presidency eventually became known as Democratic-Republicans. The Democratic-Republicans today are known as Republicans. They are also known to be the Grand Old Party. Today’s Republicans still believe in a small, limited government along with still believing in the conservative view in government.

The party believes in less regulation, lower taxes for all Americans and less federal government intercommunication in the economy. Then there was also the Federalists known today as the Democrats. They believed in a strong, large central government and a national financial system as they do today. They also, “supported minority and women’s rights, environmental protection and progressive reforms.” While the Democratic-Republicans supported “fought to protect the rights of African Americans after the Civil War.” Today’s Democrats and Republicans both care about the rights of all people and the way our economy is successful and thriving.

The political parties had their differences from one wanting a small and conservative federal government to the other wanting a large and liberal federal government. Both parties agreed upon certain views in the government system but most were opposing opinions. The political parties have changed a bit since the 17th and 18th Century till today’s parties. Today’s political parties are now called the Democrats and Republicans and not known anymore as the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans. Each political party has their views and opinions but they both just wanted what was best for the country.

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