Which philosophy did Jefferson express regarding the relationship between state rights and federal government?

Thomas Jefferson's philosophy regarding the relationship between state rights and the federal government emphasized a strong defense of state rights as crucial to individual liberties and a check against potential federal overreach. Jefferson believed that a powerful central government could lead to tyranny and oppression. He argued that the states should retain significant autonomy to protect the rights and freedoms of their citizens, suggesting that a federal government that exceeded its appropriate bounds could lead to despotism.

This view is rooted in the broader context of early American political thought, where many Founding Fathers, including Jefferson, were influenced by Enlightenment principles advocating for limited government and the safeguarding of personal freedoms. Jefferson’s emphasis on state rights reflects his concern for preserving the democratic ideals of the Revolution and his fear that a strong federal government could threaten those ideals by becoming too centralized and powerful.

Jefferson’s articulation of the need to balance state rights against the functions of the federal government highlights his commitment to ensuring that citizens had the most direct control over their own governance, which he viewed as a fundamental principle of American democracy.