Introduction
National movements and men who were opposed to the ratification of the American constitution were referred as Anti-federalism. The main objective which anti-federal movements wanted to attain was democracy. When North Carolina finally ratified the U.S. Constitution, the Federalists easily won control of the state's political scene. However, the governance of federal government was oppressive and undemocratic; this is the reason why North Carolina abandoned it in favor of Jefferson’s philosophy. North Carolina was one of the anti-federalism states that championed for political reforms in the United States. The main themes which anti-federal movements championed for include; the passage of the bill of rights, abolishment of aristocratic interests, withdrawal of the congressional taxation power and decentralization of the federal government (Zavodnyik 96). Ant-federalism was also opposed to the idea of having a standing army in the United States.
Before Tar Heels (North Carolina) supported the federal system of government, but failure by the federal government to amend the human rights bill forced North Carolina to shift to the Jeffersonian Republican party. Within a few years the North Carolina state shifted strongly to the Jeffersonian Republican Party revolutionary needs (Milton 145). North Carolina became a Jeffersonian state even before Thomas Jefferson’s social and political philosophy was formulated. The federal system of government was oppressive and that is why North Carolina abandoned it in favor of the Jeffersonian ideology which was more favorable to citizens.
The main reason why North Carolinians liked the Jeffersonian ideology is due to its ability to accommodate individual needs. Natives of North Carolina State were tried with the oppressive regime of the federal government and pushed for the formation of the Jeffersonian Republican Party in order to obtain a platform of amending the United States constitution. The Jefferson’s philosophy was liked because it championed for frugality, simplicity and freedom of expression (Gerston 84). North Carolinians had high expectation with that the Jeffersonian Republican Party and they believe it was the only administrative system that can provide good government to the public. They believe that states and not central government was the most competent form of administration that will provide good governance to the people (LaCroix 65).
North Carolina supported the Jeffersonian Republican Party with a parochial belief that it can dominate politics within the Jeffersonian Republican Party. It used the Jeffersonian Republican Party to act like a stepping stone to achieve their goals. North Carolina State was more motivated to spearhead a revolution in the quest of enhancing development within the state. Inequality in the society, high tax rate and poor governance were some of the issues with North Carolina State fought against (Lowi 47). The high tax rate charged by the sheriff during the federal government ruling was too high and it affected development progress of the society.
Inequality in the society was the other issue which North Carolina State wanted to get rid off in the society. The federal government promoted gender disparity in society by suppressing women. The federal government achieved this by implementing policies that favored men in the society. By doing so women became subordinate and as a result they became less productive in the society. Efforts by North Carolina State to fight for equality in the society brought positive changes to the society and women started to be appreciated in the society. As a result, women attended the Edenton congress this is an indication that given the platform women are ready to enroll in politics.
Work cited
Ready, Milton, The Tar Heel State: A History of North Carolina. University of South Carolina Press; 2005
Gerston, Larry N., American Federalism: A Concise Introduction, Armonk, New York, United States: M.E. Sharp, 2007 ISBN 0-7656-1671-8
LaCroix, Alison L., The Ideological Origins of American Federalism, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States: Harvard University Press, 2010, ISBN 0-674-04886-5
Lowi, Theodore, The End of the Republican Era, Norman, Oklahoma, United States: University of Oklahoma, 1995, ISBN 0-8061-2887-9
Zavodnyik, Peter., The Rise of the Federal Colossus: The Growth of Federal Power from Lincoln to F.D.R., Santa Barbara, California, United States: 2011, ABC-CLIO
