Throughout history, significant debates, theories and programs have been proposed about what the best form of government is. Many of the individuals and groups who have written on the topic have their critics because they offer points that are highly controversial in theory and problematic when put into practice. John Locke and Publius, which is the collective name for Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, both published essays on the nature of government and widely supported the concept of democracy. With Locke writing about constitutional government in England and Publius writing and essentially establishing governmental mechanisms in the United States, both parties inspired the rise of liberalism and democratic government in the modern world (Tinder, 67). However, there are questions to ask them and comparisons to make. This essay will examine the arguments put forward by Publius and Locke with the aim of demonstrating that they do indeed support strong government and are likely to rule out arbitrary governmental features that might limit attempts to do what is best for the individual rather than the people in the its whole. Indeed, the constraints put in place in their texts established a balance of power that had its limits and weaknesses but which ultimately seemed to be right. John Locke wrote The Second Treatise of Government in 1689, and Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay (Publius) wrote The Federalist Papers in 1787 and 1788. There are common themes shared between them despite the century that passed between their respective publication dates. One of these themes is human nature and the qualities that individuals possess that make a difference to government. Although Locke covers a wide range of governance topics he simply adds credibility to this argument by pointing out that both theories essentially outline how to progress from an autocratic state to a democratic government that will do what is best for the country. There are key identifiable differences in the governments proposed within the texts and there is also room to discuss weaknesses as neither proposal is perfect. However, the theory behind the presented models binds the state and its citizens fairly and effectively in order to form a strong government. Works Cited Hamilton, Alexander, John Jay, and James Madison. Federalist documents. New York: Cosimo, 2006.Locke, John. The Second Treatise on Government and a Letter on Tolerance. New York: Courier Dover Publications, 2002. Tinder, Glenn. Political thought: the perennial questions. 6th edition. London: Longman 2003.