Federalist Party Achievements And Shortcomings

Examining the Federalist Party’s Achievements and Shortcomings The Federalist Party, despite its many shortcomings and its callow attitude towards the people actually managed to accomplish quite a bit while in power in the early days of America. The most noteworthy accomplishment of the Federalists of the era was certainly the National Bank. This bank provided for a stable economy that could secure America’s prosperity. Without the Federalist Bank, America would have floundered and quickly imploded. The Bank was the early sustenance of a debt-ridden, inflation-cursed nation.

Another Federalist achievement was accomplished by one of the party’s most esteemed members ” Chief Justice John Marshall. His ruling in Marbury v. Madison was critical in determining judicial review and setting up the precedent of just exactly “who” got the right to examine the constitutionality of congressional laws. Adams, the sole Federalist president, achieved another great laurel for the party. While President, perhaps his greatest gift to the nation was not going to war with France. The French diplomatic and maritime agitations set all of America in a war-frenzy, hastily clamoring for war with France. Adams, realizing the fledgling US could not hope to win, kept the US out of the war and in doing so tarnished his own reputation.

Yet the Federalist Party ” despite stabilizing the economy, securing the power of the federal government, and preserving the infant nation ” was destined to die. The primary reason for this was the fact that the Federalist Party was the party of the rich. Aristocrats were Federalists ” they had to be, in order to protect their interests. The common man does not like the rich man. Federalists were considered to be aristocrats, and they were treated with much disfavor. The second reason why the Federalists faded away was their inability to change. The Federalists were a very conservative party, and America was in a radical, democratic phase. The election of 1800 was a “peaceful revolution.” It was a revolution away from the past and conservatism and towards radicalism and democracy.