[AdamSelene235]

federalism

n : the idea of a federal organization of more or less self-governing units

Better make that less.

They should have called themselves Nationalists.

[justshutupandtakeit]

In Hamilton's day the federal government was tiny with very little impact upon the life of the average citizen. It was as federal as they come though the states were far more powerful than the federal government. He and Madison changed the balance of power so that there actually was a chance for federalism and it worked marvelously well. A by-product of these giants thought was the US Constitution and the federalist papers two of the greatest achievements of political philosophy ever created.

It still works to this day and we have a nation composed of states that are quite varied and which differ politically, economically and socially in many respects. Hamilton and Washington would be proud of their achievements and those of their descendents.