The US Constitution of 1787 represented an economic and ideological victory for the traditional American political elite. asses the validity of that statement for the period 1781-1789.?

Answer 1

The common criticism of the Constitution at the time it was ratified was that it was restricting people's freedom by pointing power in a centralized authority that was distant from the people, similar to the British government that had been overthrown only a few years earlier. It directly benefited the rich and powerful by providing order and authority to a system that benefited those at the economic and social top of the system.

That said the alternative was chaos. It probably would have led, at best, to a flat economy and divided people. At worst, it could have led to a bloodbath and Dictatorship similar to that following the French Revolution. Therefore, while the Constitution benefited the elites the most, it benefited just about everyone to some extent.

Before the Constitution was established, this idea was still apparent. Leading up to the drafting of the final Constitution, Shay's Rebellion arose in 1786. A revolt by the debtors and farmers to attempt to enforce their demands for lighter taxes and a suspension of property takeovers, this rebellion eventually influenced the passing of debtor-free laws. This event was one of the several causes to the drafting of the Constitution. Thomas Jefferson along with the elite feared that the country's initial fight for liberty was getting out of hand under republicanism, and were scared that they wouldn't get paid by their debtors and that they wouldn't have the political respect and power, as the poorer debtors were granted their wish. The idea for reconsidering the Articles of Confederation---the constitution under which Shay's Rebellion was led---arose out of this conservative want for a muscular central government. Many debtors feared that a powerful federal government such as the suggested one would force them to pay their creditors, and thus they protested the idea. But revisiting and, ultimately, redrafting the Articles of Confederation would benefit for the rich conservatives both economically and ideologically.

Answer 2

The common criticism of the Constitution at the time it was ratified was that it was restricting people's freedom by pointing power in a centralized authority that was distant from the people, similar to the British government that had been overthrown only a few years earlier. It directly benefited the rich and powerful by providing order and authority to a system that benefited those at the economic and social top of the system.

That said the alternative was chaos. It probably would have led, at best, to a flat economy and divided people. At worst, it could have led to a bloodbath and Dictatorship similar to that following the French Revolution. Therefore, while the Constitution benefited the elites the most, it benefited just about everyone to some extent.

Before the Constitution was established, this idea was still apparent. Leading up to the drafting of the final Constitution, Shay's Rebellion arose in 1786. A revolt by the debtors and farmers to attempt to enforce their demands for lighter taxes and a suspension of property takeovers, this rebellion eventually influenced the passing of debtor-free laws. This event was one of the several causes to the drafting of the Constitution. Thomas Jefferson along with the elite feared that the country's initial fight for liberty was getting out of hand under republicanism, and were scared that they wouldn't get paid by their debtors and that they wouldn't have the political respect and power, as the poorer debtors were granted their wish. The idea for reconsidering the Articles of Confederation---the constitution under which Shay's Rebellion was led---arose out of this conservative want for a muscular central government. Many debtors feared that a powerful federal government such as the suggested one would force them to pay their creditors, and thus they protested the idea. But revisiting and, ultimately, redrafting the Articles of Confederation would benefit for the rich conservatives both economically and ideologically.