Federalist 57 Worksheet
Federalist 57 Worksheet
Federalist #57
Publius
Federalist 57 discusses the structure of the House of Representatives and
how this body of the government should not only relate to the people, but
also opportunities to maintain a relationship to the people without ruling over
them. Below are the main points of the essay, in bold, with explanations in
parentheses directly below. Read the specific points and then answer the
questions that follow. Use the notes you take here for our in-class discussion.
(The people who become the rulers ought to be wise, knowledgeable, and
virtuous so they can chose wisely for society. A good constitution provides
the best possible way of choosing these wise, virtuous men and women and
then ensuring that they remain virtuous while in office.)
Look up the word virtue in a dictionary. Do you think virtue is a necessary
component of someone who is a ruler?
Make a list of specific character traits, skills, and knowledge you think the ideal ruler
ought to have. While the perfect ruler is impossible, consider the candidates who
are running for office in the next election and compare them to your list or examine
the traits of your current representative and see how he or she stacks up against
your ideal.
Note: Who are your elected officials grateful to once they reach power? Is it to the
constituents who voted for them or is it to powerful business and special interest
lobbies? Their power should come from the people so that their loyalties lie to their
people.
Are the people doing their job of remaining vigilant and protecting their own power
or not?
One of the balances in the Constitution is the assumption that the people will
jealously guard their power from the federal government. In other words, the
federal government and the people will be antagonistic toward one another in terms
of powers. Do you think this is actually how the power struggle in the United States
has played out? What groups in the United States seem to struggle the most for
power?
Do you think the American people as a whole still value their freedom and guard it
from encroachments?
Note: Our elected officials are not above us, they simply represent us. We are all
citizens together ruling ourselves. And so we must ensure that everyone is held to
the law. There cannot be privileged classes in a republic or it ceases to be a
republic.
Does America still want to be free or do Americans want to be ruled? How can you
tell?
One of the requirements of freedom is that you also have to let others be free to
make decisions, even if you think they are making bad decisions. Do you want to be
free to make decisions in your own life and are you willing to let others also be free?
Think of some things you have a really hard time letting other people decide for
themselves. (Freedom to decide does not include actual harm to another persons
property or person; your freedom cannot encroach on another persons.)