How Did Federalism Guard Against Tyranny

The Guard Against Tyranny When the colonists eventually ensured their independence from England, a new form a government was quickly created in which the people were the powers of. Framers met to create this new form of government and in it was a plan called “ the Constitution of the United States”. In this system of government the state governments would share powers with the national government. This new government incorporated a system called a republic. In a republic citizens are chosen to serve as delegates of the people in their state. Still this new government could result in tyranny once again which caused fear in many people. Tyranny is absolute, harsh power which is invested in one person. Although it is believed that tyranny is …show more content…
Federalism is the idea of division of power between central and state governments (Madison Document A). In a compound government both the state and central governments must approve on the subject at hand for it too go into effect (Document A). Therefore not only one side is heard and can be made to help the people. Both governments share the powers to tax, borrow money, set up courts, make laws, and enforce laws. This provides for double security to the people because you have two different governments looking over these important powers making sure they are not misused. Federalism guards against tyranny because two separate governments are watching to make sure that the other does not become corrupt with its powers and the approval of both governments is needed to approve on matters (Document A). The state and central government are one compound government but two different distinct governments with equal …show more content…
By saying this Madison is saying that each office of government should use checks and balances to ensure that no one office is more powerful than the other. Checks and balances are the limits placed on the branches of a government by allowing each branch the right to amend or void the acts of another branch. Madison stated that the three branches should not be so separated that the have no control over each other (Madison Document C). Each branch had a way of watching over the other branch. The legislative branch can control the judicial branch by impeaching a judge (Document C). Also the judicial branch can control the legislative branch by declaring laws unconstitutional. As the examples above show, each branch does have a way of keeping the other branch from becoming too powerful and that is how checks and balances guarded against