Why were the states afraid of centralized authority and a strong national government

they did not want to centrialize authority because they did not want to get taxed like crazy again like when they were getting ruled by Britain

Explanation:

when a country suffers, for example, a drought period, the market product is affected for a low offer, in this case, potatoes; the government has to tax to the households, which have to give more money for the potatoes which they consume, that situation make them consume substitute goods even through loans, it could increase the financial market movement and the inflationary phenomena, the business has to increase salaries in order to the employees could buy a more expensive food (potatoes) and in order to inflation tha business had to buy expensive supplies in the factor market, while the rest of the world have to gain more money to consume the same amount of potatoes.

“i think it is very plausible that if there are five votes to end the death penalty, it could be with the people who are on the court right now,” - smith

so basically it is not clearly and consistently imposed