The Declarations by Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson - Essay Example

According to the mercantilist theory that was popular in the 1700s, the prosperity of a nation depends on its supply of money. For a country to increase its species, it had to export more than its imports. Since manufactured goods were highly expensive compared to agricultural products, nations importing manufactured goods were richer. Mercantilism recommended Britain import agricultural products from its colonies such as America and sell them manufactured goods.

 After independence, America intended to manufacture its citizens’ expertise to limit their dependence Jefferson, however, did not consent to the decision. When answering a French diplomat, Marbois, on the state of manufacturing, commerce, and interior trade, Jefferson recommended that the county should not focus on manufacturing but rather concentrate on agricultural production.

 He recommends that the county of Virginia should focus on agricultural production and let the British manufacture what he sees as a partnership. He believed that small sufficient farmers were the best citizens and that God chose the laborers on earth. This is because they were hard-working, more trustworthy, and more moral.

Alexander Hamilton, in 1791, proposed an economic program aid for the national infant industries, through high tariffs (Hamilton 5). Economic program aid aimed at protecting American companies from foreign competition government subsidies and improvement of internal transport, which could make transport cheap for American industrial use. The intention was to clear the British manufacturing hood in America. He argues that manufacturing does not only earn revenue but also renders production of greater importance. Unlike Jefferson, he was determined to make the nation self-dependent by fully producing products that its citizen may depend on. Finally, he gives it an economical view that the country can export its products to earn it more income, unlike Jefferson’s partnership view

Question 2

Both the declaration and common sense enlightened Americans to advocate their rights to equality and freedom from oppression by the British. The two documents both addressed the intention of the colonies to attain self-governance from the British. While the declaration was a summary or statement of intention, common sense was a comprehensive document that outlined key concerns of the colonies.

Thomas Paine published Common Sense in 1776 in which he challenged the authority British government and the royal monarchy. Paine, through Common Sense, enlightened Americans to advocate their quest for independence. The Declaration of Independence was a summary of the justification for independence presented by the colonies (Jayne 175). It outlined the nation’s reasons for eliminating the colonists and royal monarchy to attain self-governance.

The Declaration outlined equality among citizens. The government retains the mandate to protect citizens’ rights. Similarly, Paine highlights that the government serves to protect citizens’ lives, properties, and liberty.

Paine discussed monarchy, which he argues demands all men to comply with the decision of a King. According to Paine, monarchy promotes injustice. He relates the situation to the Israelites in the bible stating that kingship was not God’s will for the Israelites. In the Declaration, colonies expressed their dissatisfaction with the leadership of King George III. Paine had initially alarmed that the British were diverting from caring for their colonies to suppressing them through hardship and forced labor.