It is the first essay of The Federalist Papers, and it serves as a general outline of the ideas that the writers wished to explore regarding the proposed constitution of the United States.

He warned that there may be bad actors in the debate, but he insisted that emotion and accusations should be disregarded in favor of reason to determine the best interest of the nation.

Publius expresses a concern that the ratification debate will lead to passion taking precedence over reason, and he pleads with the reader to ignore appeals to emotion when considering the issue.

Publius declares his own position in support of ratification, and he lists several topics to be addressed in subsequent essays:[1] Federalist No.

He presented it as a decision that would define the nature of government, not just for the American people of the time but for future societies more broadly.

[6]: 63  He invoked ideas of American exceptionalism, suggesting that the United States was developing unprecedented government that would be replicated throughout the world.

[11]: 8  Hamilton linked the decision to ratify with morality and intellectual honesty, describing it as a consideration for the public good.

[9]: 848  Hamilton feared that supporters of the constitution may behave in an unbecoming manner toward opponents, attributing negative intentions to them all.

[5]: 30–31 Hamilton's urging of reason over emotion more broadly addressed the concept of political polarization and the breakdown of civil discourse.

1 followed the structure of philosophers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, presenting first the needs of the people and then developing the idea of government as a solution to those needs.

Hamilton suggested that path dependence can be overcome not just through sheer will, but by rejecting passions and making decisions through reason.

In public life, Hamilton was an advocate of strong government that he described as the "energetic executive", and he believed that fears of despotism were disproportionate to the risk.

1 are reused throughout the series, including the use of historical examples, the explicit challenge of opponents that had concerns about a centralized government,[4]: 59  asking the reader to prioritize reason over emotion,[6]: 81  presenting legal and moral dilemmas as having correct answers,[9]: 848  acknowledging that both selfish and selfless factors would affect people's decisions,[9]: 861  and expressing preference for disinterested leadership and strong government.

[4]: 60  While serving as Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton acted on his ideas of good government, expanding the scope and bureaucracy of his department.

[11]: 9  Over the follow centuries, additional major changes were made to the constitution, the most influential of which, the 13th and 14th amendments, were adopted as a condition at the end of the American Civil War rather than through the discourse that Hamilton advocated.

[13]: 11  Since the publication of the Federalist Papers and the ratification of the constitution, the concept of government has changed, both in the range of its responsibilities and in how politics is conducted.