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Comparing Rousseau's Federalist Papers Approach To Government

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The Federalist papers approach government through the use of reason which shows how far humans have fallen, in Rousseau’s opinion, from the original and savage state of mankind. Rousseau believes that reasons and passions have led humans in the wrong direction and he discusses the fact that contemporary man is always complaining. The Federalist Papers agree with this conclusion when Madison writes, “Complaints are everywhere heard from our most considerate and virtuous citizens, equally the friends of public and private faith, and of public and personal liberty.”(Federalist 5) Rousseau also states that man was born with liberty. This freedom to choose is deeply incorporated into the Federalist Papers. Rousseau saw that humans have a tendency to be shellfish and the Federalist papers build upon this through their idea of checks and balances. This is shown when Madison states, “In a society under the forms of which the stronger faction can readily unite and oppress the weaker, anarchy may as truly be said to reign as in a state of nature, where the weaker individual is not secured against the violence of the …show more content…

Artificial equality would be the result of this statement by Madison, “ Justice is the end of government. It is the end of civil society. It ever has been and ever will be pursued until it be obtained, or until liberty be lost in the pursuit.”(Federalist 17) Rousseau believed strongly in free choice and in the Federalist Papers it is shown that it is very difficult to establish a government that is stable and will not threaten the liberties of the people. Overall Rousseau believed that the people should be left to create their own natural equality and inequality through their use of liberty while the Federalist Papers focused on how the government could accomplish the same task. The motives were similar yet their plans to create this ideal society

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