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What are the differences between Hamiltonian and Jeffersonian visions for the U.S.?
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The main differences between Hamiltonian and Jeffersonian visions for the U.S. are rooted in their views on government and economy. Hamilton advocated for a strong centralized government, financial institutions, and an industrial economy. In contrast, Jefferson promoted states' rights, limited central authority, and an agrarian economy based on independent farmers. These opposing views led to the formation of the Federalist and Democratic Republican parties, respectively.
Hamilton's vision was a Federalist vision. He believed in the establishment of a strong, centralized government that would restore order at home and allow the United States to become a major player in international affairs. To this end, he was a staunch advocate of the Constitution. He was also instrumental in setting up the first federal bank, which allowed the United States to pay off the enormous debts it had accrued during the Revolutionary War.
Hamilton's vision was of the United States as a world power whose wealth would be based on finance, industry and commerce. And it's this vision which closely approximates to how the United States has developed since Hamilton's day.
Jefferson's vision was radically different to Hamilton's. As a firm believer in radical republicanism, he was deeply distrustful of strong, centralized government. To him, this smacked of the kind of tyranny that the American colonists believed had...
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been established by the British. Under the Jeffersonian vision, ultimate political sovereignty resided with the individual states.
Jefferson's economic ideas were also the polar opposite of Hamilton's. He believed that land was the source of the nation's wealth. His ideal was an America of independent farmers, working the land that would provide both economic and political stability. In common with other Republicans at the time, Jefferson distrusted the commercial and financial elites of the East coast, the very people that Hamilton believed provided the key to America's future prosperity.
Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton were both important founding figures in American history, but ultimately they had different ideas of what was best for the young nation of America. These two men would use their influence and supporters to start the first two political parties in the United States.
Hamilton and his followers became known as the Federalist party.Hamilton believed that a strong national, or federal, government was needed to keep the unruly states aligned. He supported creating a system of banks and having the federal government use the bank to make investments and supply credit to the states for infrastructure projects. Hamilton also believed that the future of the U.S. lied in industrializations like Great Britain. Manufacturing, trade and international commerce would be the best course for our nation is it wanted to become a world power.
Jefferson and his followers formed the Democratic Republican party. Jefferson believed that a strong federal government was an agency of tyranny and that the states should have more power. Since states are more in touch with the needs of the people, they should have more power than a far-off national government. Jefferson also believed that the U.S. should become a nation of farmers, and that agriculture would propel the U.S. to national power.
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