Why were John Adams and Alexander Hamilton considered conservative in some respects?

John Adams and Alexander Hamilton are often viewed through a conservative lens due to their skepticism of human nature, their emphasis on social stability, and their distrust of radical, utopian political change.

John Adams

Adams’s political philosophy was rooted in a realistic, even pessimistic, view of human nature. He believed that individuals and competing social classes were driven by selfish passions and ambitions, which necessitated a balanced political system to control these forces. He explicitly warned against revolutionary manifestos that promised a fundamental transformation of society, viewing such utopian expectations as dangerous illusions. His insistence on the necessity of elites and a strong executive to check the "ravenous appetites" of the propertied classes reflected a desire for order and stability, which led him to correctly predict that the French Revolution would descend into despotism.1

Alexander Hamilton

Hamilton’s conservatism is often associated with his role as an uncompromising nationalist who sought to build a strong, centralized government to ensure national unity and economic stability. His efforts to establish a national debt and the Bank of the United States were intended to cement the union and provide a firm foundation for the fledgling nation. Furthermore, his support for the Alien and Sedition Acts during the Federalist administration demonstrated a prioritization of government authority and order over certain civil liberties during times of perceived national crisis.23