The Federalist Papers

Eighty-five essays published in New York newspapers in 1787 and 1788 under the shared pen name Publius, to persuade voters to ratify the new United States Constitution. Alexander Hamilton wrote most of them, James Madison about thirty and John Jay five; the authorship of a dozen was long disputed. The early papers argue that the weak union under the Articles of Confederation invites foreign danger, conflict between the states and commercial chaos. No. 10 argues that a large republic controls the effects of faction better than a small one, because many competing interests check each other. No. 51 explains the separation of powers and checks and balances as setting ambition against ambition, since men are not angels. Later papers defend the House, the Senate, a strong single executive (No. 70) and an independent judiciary, which No. 78 calls the least dangerous branch and which may set aside laws that conflict with the Constitution. No. 84 argues that a bill of rights is unnecessary.

It is the most important commentary on the US Constitution and a working manual of political design, still cited by courts and by anyone thinking about factions, federalism and checks and balances.