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Federalist No. 29
Themes
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 contends that the federal government must have the power to collect taxes directly in order to fund essential national responsibilities like defense and infrastructure. He criticizes the system under the Articles of Confederation, where the government could only request money from the states, often leaving it underfunded and unable to function properly. Without a reliable source of revenue, the nation cannot maintain security, pay debts, or support economic stability.
Hamilton’s push for federal taxation power is grounded in the economic failures of the Articles of Confederation, which left the national government financially ill-equipped and dependent on the inconsistent goodwill of individual states. Drawing on the broader context of post-Revolutionary debt and economic instability, Hamilton sees reliable federal revenue as essential not only for defense and infrastructure but also for establishing creditworthiness—both domestically and abroad.
Themes
Hamilton dismisses concerns that giving the federal government taxing power will lead to tyranny. He explains that taxation is a normal function of government and that the people, through their elected representatives, will have control over how taxes are levied and spent. He also warns that if the federal government is forced to rely on state contributions, it will have to resort to borrowing or issuing worthless paper money, which would harm the economy and weaken national security.
In responding to fears of tyranny, Hamilton reframes taxation as a democratic process rather than a tool of oppression. His emphasis on elected representatives controlling tax policy mirrors the revolutionary slogan of “no taxation without representation,” directly addressing Anti-Federalist anxieties.
Themes
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