Federalist No. 85: Has the National Government Become an “Awful Spectacle”?

• Published date: 01 December 2011
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2011.02476.x
• Date: 01 December 2011

Paul C. Light is the Paulette Goddard

Professor of Public Service in the Robert F.

Wagner School of Public Service at New

York University. Before joining NYU, he was

vice president of the Brookings Institution’s

Governmental Studies Program and found-

ing director of its Center for Public Service.

He served as the senior advisor to the 1988

and 2002 National Commissions on the

Public Service chaired by former Federal

Reserve Board Chairman Paul A. Volcker.

E-mail: paul.light@nyu.edu.

Has the National Government Become an “Awful Spectacle”? S155

Paul C. Light

New York University

Federalist No. 85 of‌f ers a synopsis of the overall case for the

Constitution. Describing the dangers of a nation without

a national government as an “awful spectacle,” the paper

provides a rebuttal to the active opposition to ratif‌i cation.

Focusing entirely on the operations of government, this essay

examines contemporary challenges to faithfully executing

the laws and of‌f ers an analysis of comprehensive reforms for

creating greater accountability, ef‌f‌i ciency, and productivity.

Federalist No. 85 was written as a f‌i nal warning

to opponents of the new constitution. Worried

that ratif‌i cation was still in doubt, Alexander

Hamilton used the strongest language possible to

describe the base motives of his adversaries and the

ultimate consequence of inaction:

A nation, without a national government, is, in

my view, an awful spectacle.  e establishment of

a Constitution, in time of profound peace, by the

voluntary consent of a whole people, is a prodigy,

to the completion of which I look forward with

trembling anxiety. I can reconcile it to no rules

of prudence to let go the hold

we now have, in so arduous

an enterprise, upon seven

out of the thirteen States,

and after having passed over

so considerable a part of the

ground, to recommence the

course. I dread the more

the consequences of new at-

tempts, because I know that

powerful individuals, in this

and in other States, are en-

emies to a general national government in every

possible shape. (Wright, 1961, 547)

Notwithstanding Hamilton’s warning, the national gov-

ernment’s performance today suggests an awful spectacle

of a dif‌f erent kind generated by a long decline in public

conf‌i dence and frequent breakdowns in executing the

laws faithfully. Some of these complaints are a clear reac-

tion to a political agenda and deepening polarization,

but they have a core of reality. However, the United

States desperately needs more accountable, ef‌f‌i cient,

and productive government at every level.  e f‌i nancial

challenge is evident, and so are the international and

domestic problems that threaten the nation’s future.

The Case for Reform

Many Americans have come to believe the worst about

the federal government. Some of those doubts are

rooted in partisan conf‌l ict and a drumbeat of antigov-

ernment rhetoric, but some are rooted in the escalation

of government failures. Americans pay close attention

to the news of the day—the sluggish jobless recovery,

terrorist plots, poorly supported soldiers, poisoned

food, vacancies in the top jobs of government, waste

and improper payments to undeserving citizens and

corporations—all which seemingly reinforce the

federal government’s persistent inability to assure the

highest performance possible. As exaggerated as some

of the criticism may be, there is more than enough

evidence of lapses in performance to fuel the distrust.

Political polarization is both

a ref‌l ection and a cause of the

perceived administrative failures.

But there is enough evidence

embedded in recent governmen-

tal breakdowns, ethical breaches,

and outright fraud to feed the

distrust. While low rates of trust

may temporarily favor a minor-

ity party, radical shifts in legisla-

tive majorities over the past few

election cycles are further proof

that the American people are desperate for change. In

short, this is not a partisan issue—Republicans and

Democrats alike have been and will be held accountable

for government’s poor performance.

 ere is no question that trust has reached a dismal

low. Even as they demand deep budget cuts, Ameri-

cans want more of virtually everything the federal

government delivers. At the same time, they have come

Federalist No. 85: Has the National Government Become an

“Awful Spectacle”?

Political polarization is both

a ref‌l ection and a cause of

the perceived administrative

failures. But there is enough

evidence embedded in recent

governmental breakdowns,

ethical breaches, and outright

fraud to feed [public] distrust.