June 18, 1787: In my view, this is the essential text against which we must read the Federalist Papers to understand how much Hamilton, at least, was talking his book. He followed Washington...
I didn't read the whole thing but the word confederation brought to mind how much the problems of the EU match those of the first confederation. The second confederation had similar problems as the EU.
The states had an over hanging fear of the powerful states of Britain, France and Spain; who could pick off the states one by one via force or bribery. Will Russia provide the stimulus to the EU?
It still surprises me that they could so ponder and defend against the surprising whims of majorities, yet fail to devote similar attentions to the at least equally surprising whims of a) minorities and b) individuals. But, then again, being the quintessence of what Bertrand Russell called early Enlightenment excessive optimism (read: naivete), they fancied themselves legitimate (talent-based) aristos.
I didn't read the whole thing but the word confederation brought to mind how much the problems of the EU match those of the first confederation. The second confederation had similar problems as the EU.
The states had an over hanging fear of the powerful states of Britain, France and Spain; who could pick off the states one by one via force or bribery. Will Russia provide the stimulus to the EU?
As was said: Hang together or hang separately.
It still surprises me that they could so ponder and defend against the surprising whims of majorities, yet fail to devote similar attentions to the at least equally surprising whims of a) minorities and b) individuals. But, then again, being the quintessence of what Bertrand Russell called early Enlightenment excessive optimism (read: naivete), they fancied themselves legitimate (talent-based) aristos.