Jeffersonian Republicans and their political ideology

Jeffersonians

Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and one of the most influential of the founding fathers, promoting the ideas of republicanism in the new United States. He was a political philosopher, and knew many intellectuals from Britain and France. He favored the individual rights of states, and hoped for a limited federal government, separation of church and state, and saw the idea of a strong central government as tyranny. He was quite an intellectual; a statesman, architect, inventory, archaeologist, in fact, so learned that during a speech John F. Kennedy gave for the 1962 Nobel Prize Winners, Kennedy remarked, "I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent and of human knowledge that has ever been gathered together at the White House -- with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone" (Kennedy, p. 347; Hayes, 2008).

Jefferson believed in open trade and communication with Britain, France, and saw the United State's emergence into the world of social, cultural, and economic affairs to be critical in the development of the new republic. Jefferson was far more agrarian than industrial, even commenting, "I hope we shall… crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and id defiance to the laws of our country" ("Favorite Jefferson Quotes.") He was a leader in developing republicanism in America, and wanted a civic virtue to replace the British system, in which he believed Hamilton and Adams' strong central government emulated. Economically, he was strongly opposed to the Bank of the United States, calling it more dangerous than a standing army. He did believe in individual rights, and that these rights (in homage to Locke) existed regardless of what governmental powers chose to acknowledge them. Individual liberty, the right to bear arms, and keep government out of the business of violating civil issues. A proper government, according to Jefferson, was one that prohibited individuals from assaulting other individual rights, but also ensured that it did not diminish liberty in its quest for regard, power, or law (Ellis, 1998).

Jefferson and his followers were more Statist in their views; they opposed a strong central government, linking it with the authoritarian regime they opposed in England. For instance, in The Articles of Confederation, the large, more populated (urban) states held more power. Jefferson supported the Constitution, but did not support Hamilton in his quest for a strong central bank, central control over taxation, and above all, the State being able to usurp (his view) individual rights in order to better the Union. Essentially, it comes down to the Constitutional interpretation from Jefferson and his allies:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. (First Amendment to the United States Constitution).