The Constitution - Delegates With Self-Interest

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorUniversity, Bachelor's February 2008

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It is interesting to look at the people in high-ranking government offices and see that they are the people who came from a high-class family and went to some of the best schools in the country. It is so typical to see these aristocrats in government that it arises many questions to those in a middle wealth class standing. For example, why is there no representation for the common man, how do aristocrats stay so successful in life, or why it has become increasingly difficult for those who work in labor positions to make a substantial living. These questions can be answered by looking at where it all began. Our nation was slowly crippling under the articles of confederation and the call for the United States Constitution was being heard. After many painstaking assemblies for its creation and arguments over clauses, the Constitution was finally ratified with a majority vote in 1789 as the supreme law of the land.

When framing the United States Constitution, the delegates were looking out for their own aristocratic benefits in order to solve the economic problems that proved the Articles of Confederation to be inadequate.

Under the Articles of Confederation the economy was unable to flourish because there was an ineffective regulation on trade and commerce, no money to produce revenue, and debt. The articles were not allowed to regulate foreign and interstate commerce and it was difficult to find trading partners when other countries could not respect us because of inflation and debts owed to them. What ever traces of trade that was going on was most likely attacked by the Barbary pirates. Many businesses in the industry were losing profit and even failing. Another problem that hurt the economy was the debt to creditors and foreign countries. The only way to...