So long as any individual state has power to defeat the measures of the other 12 our pretended union is but a name and our confederation a cobweb
What fundamental problem did Noah Webster see in the articles of confederation
Noah Webster saw the fundamental problem in the Articles of Confederation as the lack of central authority and the ability of individual states to undermine national laws or decisions. He believed that this weakened the concept of a united nation and rendered the confederation ineffective in achieving its intended purpose.
Noah Webster saw a fundamental problem in the Articles of Confederation - the fact that any individual state had the power to defeat the measures of the other 12 states. This meant that the union was merely a name and the confederation was considered weak and ineffective.
Noah Webster, an American lexicographer and political writer, believed that a fundamental problem in the Articles of Confederation was the lack of centralized power and authority. The Articles of Confederation, which were the precursor to the United States Constitution, established a loose alliance among the 13 original states. According to Webster, this decentralized structure gave too much power to individual states, resulting in a weak and ineffective system of government.
To understand this, you can examine the Articles of Confederation themselves, which were ratified in 1781. The document established a weak national government, which relied heavily on the states to enforce laws and regulations. Under the Articles, the national government had limited authority, as it had no power to tax, regulate commerce, or enforce its decisions. These powers primarily resided with the state governments.
Webster's quote, "So long as any individual state has power to defeat the measures of the other 12, our pretended union is but a name and our confederation a cobweb," emphasizes his belief that the Articles created a system where each state had the ability to impede or block the actions of other states or the national government. This undermined the effectiveness of the union and led to a lack of coherence and shared purpose among the states.
Ultimately, the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation led to the drafting and ratification of the United States Constitution in 1787, which sought to establish a stronger central government with sufficient power to address the issues faced by the young nation.