The Federalist No. 5

by Allison Jones

In the 10 November 1787 paper, John Jay continues the argument that “weakness and divisions at home, would invite dangers from abroad; and that nothing would tend more to secure us from them than Union, strength, and good Government within ourselves.”

This paper; however, focuses on the examples from history instead of theory.

England, Scotland, and Wales united into Great Britain and it provided more safety from their enemies.  Separate entities with divergent interests to not combine easily against outside enemies.

Divisions lead to conflict and strife.  The parts could not remain equal in strength due to them having different interests and resources.  That would mean that those that weren’t as successful would become envious and fearful of the part that did so much better.

“Distrust naturally creates distrust, and by nothing is good will and kind conduct more speedily changed, than by invidious jealousies and uncandid imputations, whether expressed or implied.”

Jay also brings in the example of Spain uniting out of smaller kingdoms and how they did not always help each other before being combined into one.

Separate confederacies would naturally be more concerned about competition and danger posed by the neighboring confederacies than they would worry about danger posed by the European nations further away.  Jay perceives that “they would neither love nor trust one another, but on the contrary would be a prey to discord, jealousy and mutual injuries; in short that they would place us exactly in the situations which some nations doubtless wish to see us, viz. formidable only to each other.”

It is not just overt hostilities that must be guarded against, but also “improper interference of foreign nations.”  Other nations can use our divisions against us in the guise of helping one confederacy against another.  Allies do not always have our best interest at heart.  For example, the French did not aid America in the Revolution because they liked us, but because they disliked the British, our opponents.

“How many conquests did the Romans and others make in the characters of allies, and what innovations did they under the same character introduce into the Governments of those whom they pretended to protect.”

The conclusion is that union under one government is safer for Americans than being divided.