7, titled "The Same Subject Continued: Concerning Dangers from Dissensions Between the States", is a political essay by Alexander Hamilton and the seventh of The Federalist Papers.

7 provides several examples of disputes that Hamilton argues will cause war between the states if they do not unify under a federalist government.

It presents arguments for why territorial disputes, commercial policy, public debt, and violation of private contracts would cause war between the states.

7 presented arguments in favor of a federal government by describing potential sources of conflict between the states.

[5] Hamilton's argument followed that of John Jay in earlier essays, who argued that the American people were naturally connected under a shared identity.

[3]: 16  Of particular concern to Hamilton was that certain states, such as New York, held a geographic advantage that allowed them disproportionate control over interstate trade and engage in practices such as tax exportation.

[4] In line with Hamilton's concerns, a common interpretation of this clause is that it effectively created a free-trade zone between the states to prevent them from engaging in trade wars.

There was disagreement as to who was responsible for paying the debt,[3]: 16  and the Articles of Confederation had no mechanism to compel payment by the states.

[4] Hamilton also described the "violation of private contracts" between citizens of separate states as a potential source of conflict.

[7] Hamilton described the states as naturally seeking war if there was no moderating centralized government; this description is derived from the ideas of Thomas Hobbes.

[6]: 27 [9]: 30  Hobbes argued that humanity without government existed in a hypothetical state of nature, in which each person is threatened by everyone else they met.

[3]: 16  Economic competition between the states has remained common throughout American history, though the focus shifted from tariffs to subsidies, federal government spending, and benefits for businesses.