Scholarship

At the dawn of the American Republic, two great men stood above all others; Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, both of whom had very different visions for the future of America. Jefferson, the main writer of the Declaration of Independence, diplomat, Secretary of State and future president wanted the nation to have a weak national government, an agrarian economy, and universal education. Hamilton, aide of Washington and the first Treasury Secretary, wanted a strong national government, a mixed economy, and a limited education system. The two men argued constantly, so much so that Jefferson once claimed that the two were pitted against each other every day in the Presidential Cabinet. Considering how things are today, the outcome of the nation’s history was mostly in favor of Hamilton’s ideals. The nation’s economy is mixed, with agriculture working alongside industry and trade. Today’s national government is a strong, omnipresent body with authority that overrules the powers of the states, regulates the mixed economy and education. The only exception to this would be universal education, but this would prove to make the nation only stronger. If the two were somehow brought back to life, Hamilton would be proud of the new nation that he helped give birth to, while Jefferson would be greatly disappointed. The two men had very different views for America’s future, but little else divided them as how the economy should be run.

At the time in which the two great men debated over America’s future, the majority of Americans were farmers. The young economy relied heavily on agriculture, with little true industry or trade present. The national government was still in its’ infancy a few years after the ratification of the Constitution, the state and local governments still very strong. Jefferson liked how things were, and preferred that the nation kept its’ agrarian economy and society. If most Americans were farmers, owning their own land and farms, there would probably not be any true social hierarchy or any real social gap. True, a few Americans would be specialized in areas other than agriculture, as they were essential in continuing the operation of the farming society, but there would be too few to cause a social gap. Jefferson felt that if social equality among citizens could be achieved, despite having a less prosperous and influential nation, then so be it. Hamilton was completely opposed to this idea. Instead, he favored a mixed economy, where agriculture went alongside strong industry and trade. The nation would be very prosperous and influential on the world stage, bringing great wealth and power. He felt that as long as they worked, social hierarchies would be necessary. Today’s economy greatly favors Hamilton over Jefferson. Strong evidence for it would be the huge number of coastal ports, immense factories, increased urbanization, a surplus of products and food for export, and the fact that America is one of the wealthiest and most powerful nations in the world. There are still very visible social distinctions in America today, but Hamilton’s ideals do seem to have been very successful. Jefferson’s mind would be boggled by the huge metropolises that dot the landscape of his nation, worried by the some belching factories, and disturbed that a class system prevailed to this day. Hamilton would be proud of the great wealth and power his great nation had acquired, overjoyed by its’ influence. As Bill Gates or Henry Ford were fine examples of how people could prosper in his system, Hamilton would probably be a great admirer of them. Though Hamilton’s plan for the economy has come true, the outcome of the educational system would take an entirely different

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