Federalist 70 Flashcards

What benefits does a strong presidency provide to a representative democracy?

A strong presidency provided unity, stability, and protection, a strong presidency not only protects the people from other countries, but also from themselves.

Why does a weak executive branch create a bad government?

If the executive branch is weak, there is no one to protect the people's rights and liberties. This then causes distrust in the government, which shows the liabilities.

What are four ingredients of an energetic executive?

Four ingredients of an energetic executive branch are unity, competent powers, adequate provision for its support, and duration. By showing so, the people begin to trust the government.

What, according to Hamilton, is the most necessary quality for a president?

Hamilton considers energy the most necessary quality for a president. Energy is needed to protect the people's rights and liberties.

What are characteristics of the legislative branch? Why do these characteristics provide evidence for a unified executive!

The legislative branch includes discussing/arguing/passing/settling laws and past disputes. They regularly exercise their powers through the Supreme Court and lower courts to show their agreements and the people's opinions as a whole.

What problems might arise if the presidency were split between two people?

If the presidency were split between two people, they would disagree because of the differences in their beliefs. Since they would not be able to agree on most things, action could not be taken, about certain events, until after everything had died down.

"There is an idea that... a vigorous ______________ (branch) is inconsistent with the genius of republican government."

executive

"____________ in the executive is a leading character in the definition of good government." (e)

Energy

"The ingredients which constitute energy are __________ (u); ___________(d); an _____________________ for its support (ap); and _____________ powers." (c)

Unity, duration, adequate provision, competent

" The ingredients which constitute safety in the republican sense are a __________________ on the people (dd), secondly a due responsibility."

due dependence

" those politicians and statesmen who have been the most celebrated for the soundness of their principles and for the justice of their views have declared in favor of a single _____________ and a numerous _______________."

Executive, legislature

This unity may be destroyed in two ways: either by vesting the power in two or more ______________ (m) of equal dignity and authority, or by vesting it ostensibly in one man, subject in whole or in part to the control and cooperation of others, in the capacity of ______________ to him." (c)

magistrates, counselors

"The experience of other nations will afford little instruction on this head. As far, however, as it teaches anything, it teaches us not to be enamored of ___________ (p) in the executive." Hamilton used as an example in his argument the experience of what ancient civilization? ______________

plurality, Roman

" Wherever two or more persons are engaged in any common enterprise or pursuit, there is always a danger of" what?______________________ (doo)

Difference of opinion

"And what is still worse, they might split the community into the most violent and irreconcilable _______________." (f)

Factions

In which branch of government did Hamilton see that "promptitude of decision is oftener an evil than a benefit?" _______________

Legislative

"But no favorable circumstances palliate or atone for the disadvantages of dissension in the _____________ department."

Executive

"But one of the weightiest objections to a plurality in the executive... is that it tends to conceal ___________ (f) and destroy __________________." (r)

Faults, responsibility

"It often becomes impossible...to determine on whom the __________ (b)... ought really to fall."

blame

" I will only add that, prior to the appearance of the Constitution, I rarely met with an intelligent man from any of the states who did not admit, as the result of experience, that the _________ (u) of the executive of this state was one of the best of the distinguishing features of our Constitution."

Unity