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Federalist No. 17
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Federalist Papers, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Importance of the Constitution
The Necessity of a Strong Union
Leadership and Representation
Checks and Balances
Federal Power vs. States Rights
Summary
Analysis
Alexander Hamilton and James Madison argue that history proves weak confederations do not last, using past examples to show why the Articles of Confederation will fail. They point to the ancient Greek city-states and the medieval Holy Roman Empire, both of which struggled because their central governments were too weak to maintain order. They describe how the Greek city-states formed leagues to work together, but since these alliances lacked strong central authority, they constantly fought among themselves. This internal division made them easy targets for foreign powers, leading to their downfall.
Hamilton and Madison use historical parallels strategically to frame the U.S. as part of a broader pattern in which weak confederacies collapse under internal conflict and foreign interference. They both highlight examples of systems that struggled with decentralization and became vulnerable to external domination as a result. By referencing the Greek leagues, Hamilton and Madison emphasize how alliances without strong enforcement mechanisms inevitably break down into rivalry and war, leading to their easy conquest.
Active
Themes
Similarly, the Holy Roman Empire was a loose collection of states with a weak central ruler, which made it ineffective at enforcing laws and protecting itself from outside threats. Hamilton and Madison warn that the United States is making the same mistakes. If the country remains divided under a weak national government, it will suffer from infighting, economic instability, and vulnerability to foreign influence. They assert that a strong federal government is necessary to prevent history from repeating itself.
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