1) According to Michael Parenti in “Class Power in Early America,” and Charles Beard in “An Economic Interpretation of the U.S. Constitution,” the Constitution was primarily written by the wealthy elite landowners, merchants, and creditors who represented the propertied class. These were men who had economic power and were motivated by protecting their property and wealth. Beard argues that the framers designed the Constitution to protect their own economic interests, ensuring a government that favored property rights over broader democratic participation.

The class that was excluded from this process included poor farmers, laborers, enslaved people, Native Americans, women, and anyone who didn’t own property. These groups had no political voice or influence in drafting the Constitution. Both Parenti and Beard emphasize that this exclusion wasn’t accidental the framers intentionally created a system that protected the wealthy and limited participation to propertied white men.

2) I would say there are similarities, even if things have changed on the surface. In early U.S. society, power and influence were concentrated in the hands of the wealthy elite, as Parenti and Beard point out. Today, while more people can vote and run for office, economic inequality still plays a major role in who holds political power. Wealthy corporations, lobbyists, and the super-rich often have disproportionate influence over government decisions just like the elite class did in the 18th century. So while the makeup of society is more diverse today, economic class divisions and power imbalances are still a major issue.

3) The framers were afraid of democracy because they associated it with what they called the “mob” ordinary people who, if given too much power, might vote to redistribute wealth or challenge the property rights of the elite. Beard and Parenti both highlight how the wealthy class feared uprisings like Shays’ Rebellion, where indebted farmers demanded economic relief. To them, democracy meant instability and a potential threat to their wealth and status. That’s why they created a system with checks and balances, limited suffrage, and protections for property owners to guard against too much popular influence over government.