<u>D. The federal government can only function effectively if it has the ability to collect taxes</u>
Explanation:
The Federalists believed that one of the reasons why the Articles of Confederation failed to lead the newly born American nation was because it established a very weak central government at the expenses of independent and sovereign states. So, the Federalists aimed to propose a new Constitution that established a strong government with enough enforcement powers like the ability to collect taxes, so that the government can raise an army, for example, and could act firmly and coherently in the national interest, and deal with international affairs.
