The Anti-Federalists held several viewpoints about the Constitution and our government. In essence, their main concerns revolved around a perceived threat to individual liberties, the concentration of power in a centralized government, and the absence of a Bill of Rights in the original Constitution. They argued that the proposed Constitution would potentially lead to an authoritarian government reminiscent of the British monarchy they had just liberated themselves from. The Anti-Federalists advocated for a more decentralized system that emphasized the power of individual states, as well as the inclusion of explicit protections for individual rights. They believed that a strong central government would inevitably jeopardize the authority and autonomy of the states, fostering corruption and tyranny.
