The Preamble of the Constitution of the United States of America classifies an effective government as one that "establish[s] justice, insure[s] domestic tranquility, provide[s] for the common defense, promote[s] the general welfare, and secure[s] the blessings of liberty." Based on these standards, the Articles of Confederation were effective to a certain degree at the time, but in the end, were too liberal to be effective. Because its main purpose was to ensure the blessings of liberty, the Articles of Confederation had to sacrifice stability and security, which ultimately led to its downfall.

The Articles of Confederation promoted the spirit and beliefs of liberty and equality. It provided for a loose confederation, which gave limited power to the central government. The Articles of Confederation allowed each state to rule itself independently. According to the theory of republicanism, the sovereignty of the states rested on...