In preparation for my California Politics class, I’m reading some of the antifederalist critiques to the constitution. Some of the core critiques seem ludicrous by today’s standards. For example, the idea that power should be concentrated in states because they more conform to the ideal of a small, homogeneous republic seems absurd, particularly given the size of states like California, New York and Florida.

But other critiques seem more prescient. Particularly one anti-federalist critique of the separation of powers that suggested that true checks and balances required more pronounced social class division. As an example, England had divided government because their houses were brokend down into a House of Commons and a House of Lords. Without legislative branches specifically designed to represent class based interests,

In a system without build in representation by class, “natural aristocracies” would dominate all brances of government. These “few and great” might be lauded for their intellect, ability, character and/or wealth, but the Anti-Federalists thought they represented a class apart from the “common man.” If we interpret “natural aristocracies” to be those that have been able to amass wealth with their talents, this critique becomes prescient. As this chart of the wealth distribution of Congress illustrates, the US Congress sure appears to be more like a “natural” House of Lords than a House of Commons.

The Federalists thought that national goverment would create the diversity of commercial interests necessary to prevent the majority from usurping the rights of the minority… in this case, propoerty owners. The ability to break up class based factions into farmers, laborers, crediters, debtors, etc. means a majority coalition would be difficult to form.

It seems both the Federalists and Anti-Federalists were right in this regard. The system protects minority factions from tyrannizing the majority but it also facilitates the capture of government by “natural aristocracises.” Whether they are men of high characther, ability or simply just the lucky or shrewd is for another post, but the fact that wealth is highly correlated with representation was presaged by the Anti-Federalists.