The Origin Of Big Government In The USA

Introduction

This is still a draft of a blog post I wish to expand in the future. For now I will basically  try to summarize my present thoughts.

The longer I live in the USA since I arrived in 1995 from Germany, I realize that the U.S. has long developed into Socialist country of European or Soviet style. The Statue of Liberty was erected at a time when individual liberty was already suffering in this country.

Previously, I attempted to write a chronology of Big Government in the USA by selecting salient events marking its path (see here). First, I thought it began during the Great Depression and subsequently accelerated. Then, around 1875-1920, then during the Civil War. You catch my drift, I had to go back further and further in U.S. history.

Anti-Federalists

Then, I discovered the Anti-Federalist Papers of which I had heretofore known very little. And I suspect that most high school students never read any of it. I am still listening to audio recordings of these papers while commuting to work.

In hindsight, the Anti-Federalists got it right to be highly sceptical of the new U.S. Constitution for it laid the foundation for a much more centralized and powerful government at the expense of the individual states.

I suspect, the Anti-Federalists failed because they were mostly not as prominent as the Federalists. Their arguments were less focused and vague. The power of persuasion rested with the influence of the stars among the Federalists.

As Long As The Founders Were Still Alive

As long as these great men and women were still around they were able to prevent Big Government. As their memories faded over time, wicked, power-loving men and women took over to create an all powerful federal empire with a monarch-like president as the Anti-Federalists predicted.

More Piecemeal & By Trial And Error Approach

The Federalists should have treaded more carefully and slowly instead of deciding on a master plan like the U.S. Constitution.

Anti Federalists have pointed to the long-term success of the Swiss Confederation and the Dutch Republic (Dutch Golden Age) as models. Apparently, in a twist of history, the Swiss copied the American model by adopting a federal constitution in 1842.