Why did Jefferson and his democratic Republican Party oppose policies that favored manufacturing and trade
There were several reasons why Thomas Jefferson and his Democratic Republican Party opposed policies that favored manufacturing and trade:
1. Agrarian Ideal: Jefferson and his party believed in an agrarian economy, based on small-scale farming. They saw farming as the most virtuous and independent form of labor, and regarded it as the backbone of the American economy. They believed that an emphasis on manufacturing and trade would create a society with an elite class of wealthy industrialists, leading to inequality and corruption.
2. Fear of Centralized Power: The Democratic Republicans were wary of concentrated power, both politically and economically. They believed that promoting manufacturing and trade would lead to the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few wealthy individuals or corporations, thus creating an economic elite that could dominate politics and undermine democracy.
3. Opposition to Bank of the United States: Jefferson and his party vehemently opposed the establishment of a national bank, which they viewed as a tool of wealthy elites to manipulate the economy for their own benefit. They believed that the bank would use its power to favor manufacturing and trade interests over the agrarian economy they cherished.
4. Opposition to Federal Intervention: The Democratic Republicans believed in a limited role for the federal government, with most power and decision-making left to the individual states. They opposed policies that allowed the federal government to intervene in the economy or regulate trade, as they saw such actions as threats to individual liberty and states' rights.
Overall, Jefferson and his party favored an agrarian economy, believed in limited government intervention, and distrusted concentrated power. They opposed policies that favored manufacturing and trade, as they believed it would lead to inequality, centralized power, and a departure from their ideal of an independent and virtuous society.