Anti-Federalist's Argument Against Collectivism

The present moment discovers a new face in our affairs. Our object has been all along, to reform our federal system, and to strengthen our governments--to establish peace, order and justice in the community--but a new object now presents. The plan of government now proposed is evidently calculated totally to change, in time, our condition as a people. Instead of being thirteen republics, under a federal head, it is clearly designed to make us one consolidated government. Of this, I think, I shall fully convince you, in my following letters on this subject. This consolidation of the states has been the object of several men in this country for some time past. Whether such a change can ever be effected in any manner; whether [such a change] can be effected without convulsions and civil wars; whether such a change will not totally destroy the liberties of this country--time only can determine. [emphasis added]

- Federal Farmer, no. 1, 8 Oct. 1787

Well, holy crap.

Federal power (and arguably a desire for martial glory and blood cleansing) did lead to Civil War I - Federal power that turned the country against itself by allowing one side to impose its economic order on the other side.  Is federal power handing the reins of power to those that favor one side over the other, again?

Are the statists - those who want to progressively use government power to force their belief system on others - begging for a Civil War II (or, realistically a Civil War III, if the Revolutionary War is included in the count)? Are the libertarians begging for the same? Should the Federal government acquiesce loss of power to states rights and individuals, in order to preserve some kind of union?

It is simple to state that our form of government has gone beyond the strictures of the Constitution, but as so many anarchocapitalists, anarchists, and libertarians have implied: The Constitution invited the overstep of its specific limits to power, because government power begets more government power.

One unfortunate problem with the aims outlined by the Federal Farmer: a belief that strengthening the governments was legitimate.