THE POLITICAL SCIENCE

RUNNING HEAD: POLITICAL SCIENCE
Democratic Republican Party
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RUNNING HEAD: POLITICAL SCIENCE
Introduction:
The democratic republican party also known as American Political party was founded by
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. This party championed in political equality as well as
expansionism. After the election of 1800, the Democratic Republican Party rose into prominence
as the opposing Federalist Party collapsed. During the 1824 presidential election, the Democratic
republicans splintered eventually1. While a part of it coalesced into the modern Democratic
party, the other fraction formed the Whig part.
Ideology
According to Ralph Brown the core ideology of the party was “commitment to a broad principles
of personal liberty, social mobility and westward expansion”. According to James Reichley, the
most demarking factor that divided federalist and Jeffersonian were not the rights of the states
neither was the national debt. The core factor was, however, the question of social equality.
During the time of the rise of the Jefferson there were only few who believed in the ideology of
egalitarianism2. He was on the other hand supporter of political equality which opposed the idea
that only rich and powerful should lead the society. Such idea of society later came to be known
as Jeffersonian democracy.
According to Jefferson, a strong centralized government possesses great threat towards
the path of freedom. Thus, the parties strongly opposed the efforts of the federalist of building a
1 Dotts, Brian W. "The democratic-republican societies: An educational dream deferred." educational
HORIZONS 88, no. 3 (2010): 179-192.
2 Link, Eugene P., and Philip S. Foner. "Democratic Republican Societies, 1790-1800." (1943).

RUNNING HEAD: POLITICAL SCIENCE
centralized state. About the idea o national debt, Jefferson was on the belief that such idea is
immoral and dangerous. After the rise of the party in 1800, Jefferson was typically concerned
about the foreign intervention and advocated for various programs related to the economic
development. Jefferson was also inclined towards the promotion of a diversified economy. The
foreign policies were also a crucial factor that caused the split between democratic republican
and the Federalist Party. Federalist were fearful about the rise of egalitarian thoughts after the
French Revolution. Democratic Republican’s foreign policies were marked by support for
expansionism and defending the “Empire of Liberty”3.
Rise of conflict:
One of the earliest and most interesting divisions between the Democratic-Republicans and the
Federalists were there approach towards foreign policy regarding Britain and France. According
to the Federalists, the foreign policy should be formed keeping in mind the British interest. But
the Democratic-Republicans opposed this, according to them; the foreign policy should favor the
French, over the British. After the French Revolution of 1789, a new government had taken over
the ruling seat of France; this government was supported by the Democratic-Republicans4.
In economic matters, there was a strong difference between the Jeffersonian and the Federalists.
The Democratic-Republicans were more interested in preserving and strengthening the interest
of the working class, the farmers, the merchants and the labourers. According to them, the
citizens would be best served by an agrarian economy. The establishment of Bank of United
3 Twomey, Richard J. "The Democratic-Republican Societies, 1790-1800: A Documentary Source-book of
Constitutions, Declarations, Addresses, Resolutions, and Toasts." (1978): 413-415
4 Schoenbachler, Matthew. "Republicanism in the Age of Democratic Revolution: The Democratic-Republican
Societies of the 1790s." Journal of the Early Republic 18, no. 2 (1998): 237-261

RUNNING HEAD: POLITICAL SCIENCE
States, which had strong support from the likes of Hamilton, was seen by the Democratic-
Republicans as a way of taking away power from each of the individual states. According to
them, this establishment would really be in favor of the rich, than helping the working class.
According to the Federalists, economic self-sufficiency and domestic growth can be in the best
way possible via development of manufacturing and industry5. In 1789 the Congress had passed
a bill on protective tariffs on import, which protected domestic production. The Federalists
supported this bill fully. In 1795, Jay’s Treaty, which has had its name from John Jay, was
ratified. This ratification caused the citizens to behave angrily towards the Federalists. In the
Northwest Territories, fur trading was still in the control of British, but they during those times,
were held responsible for the Native Indian revolts against the Americans. American ships were
seized and the British ships impressed upon American sailors. Further, American ships were
being prohibited to have trade relations with the West Indies, mostly by the British ships. The
then chief justice of the U.S. Supreme court, Jay, went to England as an envoy in order to rectify
this situation. He ultimately succeeded in gaining a treaty, which gave the British a limited
amount of time for leaving the fur posts. However, unfortunately, no other issues were settled.
However, the treaty helped the Americans, but there was clause in the treaty, which asked the
U.S.A. to pay back money amounting $2.6 million to the British, in order to, settles the debts
owed from pre-Revolution times 6.
5 Miller, Gary, and Norman Schofield. "The transformation of the republican and democratic party coalitions in the
US." Perspectives on Politics 6, no. 3 (2008): 433-450.
6 Link, Eugene P., and Philip S. Foner. "Democratic Republican Societies, 1790-1800." (1943).