.jpg) John Jay, author of Federalist No. 3 | |
| Author | John Jay |
|---|---|
| Original title | The Same Subject Continued: Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Federalist |
| Publisher | The Independent Journal |
Publication date | November 3, 1787 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Newspaper |
| Preceded by | Federalist No. 2 |
| Followed by | Federalist No. 4 |
| Text | Federalist No. 3 at Wikisource |
Federalist No. 3, titled "The Same Subject Continued: Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence", is a political essay by John Jay, the third of The Federalist Papers. It was first published in The Independent Journal on November 3, 1787, under the pseudonym Publius, the name under which all The Federalist papers were published. It is the second of four essays by Jay on the benefits of political union in protecting Americans against foreign adversaries, preceded by Federalist No. 2 and followed by Federalist No. 4 and Federalist No. 5.
Federalist No. 3 considers whether a federal government is better equipped to manage foreign policy and prevent war than state governments. Jay argues that a federal government has advantages in that it can select better statesmen from a larger population and that it can apply treaties more consistently than individual states. He also argues that state governments are more likely to act provocatively when their states are at the center of a conflict, while the federal government can give more even consideration of an issue.