[273] He was an able administrator and a judge of talent and character, and he regularly talked with department heads to get their advice.[274] He tolerated opposing views, despite fears that a democratic system would lead to political violence, and he conducted a smooth transition of power to his successor.[275] He remained non-partisan throughout his presidency and opposed the divisiveness of political parties, but he favored a strong central government, was sympathetic to a Federalist form of government, and leery of the Republican opposition.[276]
Washington dealt with major problems. The old Confederation lacked the powers to handle its workload and had weak leadership, no executive, a small bureaucracy of clerks, a large debt, worthless paper money, and no power to establish taxes.[277] He had the task of assembling an executive department and relied on Tobias Lear for advice selecting its officers.[278] Great Britain refused to relinquish its forts in the American West,[277] and Barbary pirates preyed on American merchant ships in the Mediterranean before the United States even had a navy.