 Alexander Hamilton, author of Federalist No. 27 | |
| Author | Alexander Hamilton |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Series | The Federalist |
| Publisher |
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Publication date | December 25, 1787 |
| Media type | Newspaper |
| Preceded by | Federalist No. 26 |
| Followed by | Federalist No. 28 |
| Text | Federalist No. 27 at Wikisource |
Federalist No. 27, titled "The Same Subject Continued: The Idea of Restraining the Legislative Authority in Regard to the Common Defense Considered", is an essay by Alexander Hamilton, the twenty-seventh of The Federalist Papers. It was published on December 25, 1787, under the pseudonym Publius, the name under which all The Federalist papers were published. Federalist No. 27 is the second of three successive essays covering the relationship between legislative authority and military force, preceded by Federalist No. 26, and succeeded by Federalist No. 28.
Federalist No. 27 considers the anti-federalist belief that military force would be necessary to enforce the will of the federal legislature, with Hamilton arguing that it would not. Hamilton argues that the people will respect a government that is well administered and that a federal government would be better administered than the state governments. The issue of American support for the federal government has persisted since the ratification of the constitution, and political philosophers have cited Federalist No. 27 to justify expansion of civil service and governmental transparency.