On September 17, 1787, the Philadelphia Convention sent their new constitution to the states for ratification. The Federalists highly approved of the Constitution because it allowed for a more central and powerful government that was previously undermined under the Articles of Confederation. The Anti-Federalists, however, didn’t want a powerful central government, but, instead, powerful state governments; in response to the Constitution, many Anti-Federalists began writing essays and creating pamphlets as a means of arguing against it. In retaliation to the Anti-Federalists attempt at getting states to not ratify the Constitution, many Federalists developed a group of essays known as the Federalist Papers, which argued for the …show more content…
In addition, Madison reasons that the public would fair better if “the public voice [was] pronounced by the representatives of the people,” rather that “by the people themselves.” This reasoning leads to Madison’s next difference between a republic and a democracy, which states that a republic will be able to be extended to a “greater number of citizens, and greater sphere of country.” With a republic, everyone is represented in the Congress, where as in a democracy, only certain “factions,” as Madison calls them, are represented. A republic, like said above, doesn’t have these factions, and Madison again reasons that “the fewer the distinct parties and interests, the more frequently will a majority be found of the same party.” The new system of government outlined in the Constitution had allotted provisions so the number of representatives in the legislative body would not be “proportion to that of the constituents,” as suggested in the New Jersey Plan. Madison advocated this system of government because it would guard against the “cabals of a few” and the “confusion of a multitude.” The republic would be large enough so that the power of the legislation wouldn’t be placed in the hands of a few (oligarchy), but not large enough that Congress wouldn’t be able to pass any laws because there are so many opinions. Madison’s blatant examples of the advantages a republic has over a democracy also call into questions his
With a higher populace comes the ability to have a larger fighting force. Another valid point that Madison brings up is that small republics are often prone to faction, and eventually fall apart. With a large republic, you can “tame” the factions with majority rule, while letting them freely express their opinions. I agree with Madison on many of these points, but I think that he would change his opinion on many after seeing the current condition of the United States. The governing body has grown so large that it has become inefficient and in many areas has lost its ability to do what is best for the
The Federalist Papers is a treatise on free government in peace and security. As described by the article, FEDERALIST PAPERS, “These are a series of eighty-five letters written to newspapers in 1787-1788 by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, urging ratification of the Constitution.” The work of essentially Madison and Hamilton can be parceled into two rule parts; the fundamental discussing the defects of the present government, the Articles of Confederation, and the second looking at the new constitutions assorted fragments of the lawmaking body, official, and
Federalist 10 has the strongest argument that supports our current Constitution. Madison’s view goes against the traditional view that a small republic is better than a larger one. The proposed government that Madison supports was trying to establish a strong government that would be capable of controlling violence and damage that are caused by factions. Factions being a group of people who gather together to protect and promote their social economic interests and political opinions (Madison, 72). The biggest concern was that the factions would become too powerful and start to over power the government if the United States did not have a strong government. Different factions with contrasting ideas pose a threat to the wellbeing of the people. The factions could be either a majority or minority of a whole. If the factions have closer contact with one another they are more likely to participate in acts of violence, which would effect the way the United States is governed. A small republic would draw attention to everyone’s different interests, therefore highlighting the major contrasts between different
This form of government proposed in the Constitution is better than a democracy because it would contain both national and federal characteristics. It would have to be ratified by the States, would draw power from both the people and the States, operates on the people, and leaves some powers to the States. According to Madison, a republic also works better in large populations like the United States. Although there would be more factions in a large population, those factions would also be weaker than if they existed in a smaller population. A greater number of factions reduces the chances that a majority faction will rise and have enough support to invade the rights of others. Therefore, there would be more control over unjust factions in a Union rather than in individual States. Madison also hopes that having a large diversity of citizens, would lead to nonpermanent majorities, as in everyone will be a part of the majority at some point for some issue.
The Anti-Federalist Papers recognized that the people one in power “can seldom or never resume it again but by force”. The establishment of a single law that would be equally applied to all states and where the power would be vested in a central government represented, for the anti-federalists, the condition of the lives, the liberty, and property of every man in the United States. “Nor the constitution or laws of any state, in any way prevent or impede the full and complete execution of every power given”. Anti-Federalist Papers established their fear on having a judicial branch that would overrule over the state courts without attending to the necessity of the local people, as well, the congress would be able to limit the decisions of the national state if it would affect the well-being of the whole nation, again, limiting the purpose of the national government on the pursuit of happiness of its own
The Federalist Papers were 85 essays that were published in 1787 and 1788. They were anonymous and always signed by “Publius.” Publius was actually 3 men, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay. They wrote the papers to convince the people of New York to vote to ratify the Constitution. These essays were published in newspapers throughout the state of New York. Federalist 10 was written by James Madison and was titled The Utility of the Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection (continued). This essay was a continuation of Federalist 9. Federalists like James Madison and Alexander Hamilton thought that if the states continued to maintain complete control, each state would become its own nation, which would leave the U.S. bankrupt. They believe that a strong central government would have the ability to stop this from occurring. Factions were James Madison’s worst fear. Madison believed that factions were what were going to keep states divided and more likely to turn to individual nations. James Madison’s opinions are correct.
James Madison begins his famous federalist paper by explaining that the purpose of this essay is to help the readers understand how the structure of the proposed government makes liberty possible. Each branch should be, for the most part, in Madison's opinion, independent. To assure such independence, no one branch should have too much power in selecting members of the other two branches. If this principle were strictly followed, it would mean that the citizens should select the president, the legislators, and the judges. But, the framers recognized certain practical difficulties in making every office elective. In particular, the judicial branch would suffer because the average person is not aware of the qualifications judges should
In doing so, he proposes that the government should regulate the interest of society so faction is not easily formed. Regulation should be the legislature’s principal task in creating a more united society. Without focus on principal tasks, Madison describes how chaotic the faction can become. To prevent this, the government should be an empowered body of people, who come together to make and change laws. No one person should have to the power to judge their own opinions. Giving a person the power of judging themselves can cause many bias, and therefore being inactive.
“The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may be justly pronounced the very definition of tyranny…(L)iberty requires that the three great departments of power should be separate and distinct.”(Document B) The main idea of this quote is that if all of the branches are in the same hands of a person or group, they will get power hungry and it will turn into a tyranny, which is what the colonies are trying not to do. Madison thinks that 3 branches of government is a good system because each has different people that wouldn’t gain too much power. If a person was in more than one branch of government, he thinks it wouldn’t work because then they could gain too much power and they would turn into a tyrant. Even if they had a democracy, it wouldn’t work because then the people would have all of the say and they would get all of the power. The quote connects back to the thesis because it is about if all of the power was in the same hands, then it’s not a separation of government, it is a combination of
The Federalist Papers are a series of eighty-five essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, which argued the reasons why the Articles of Confederation should be strengthened. These articles support the new constitution as well as seek ratification from the states. On November 7, 1787 John Jay published The Fourth Federalist Paper. In The Fourth Federalist Paper John Jay explains that the U.S should be unified under a central government rather than function as multiple independent bodies. The U.S would be better able to obviate from foreign aggressors, trade with other countries, and the country would be better organized. The issues discussed within The Fourth Federalist Paper, is still relevant today.
In order to provide better or and a universal peace among the people, the government must be able to have some sort of control over parties that wish to seek unrest. This system in our federal applies and is very much important to the longevity of this great nation, by providing a medium for equality in protest and prevention in rioting or other illegal activities. In the document Madison defines factions as groups of people who gather together to protect and promote their special economic interest and political opinions. And by the opposing factions work for toward their own interest, the frequently work against the public interest, therefore infringing upon the rights of
From the proposal of the Constitution in September 1787 to its approval in 1789, there was an intense debate on its ratification. Arguments in favor were a series of essays written by Madison, Hamilton, and Jay called the Federalist Papers. These documents advocated for a strong national government and were opposed by the Anti-Federalists; a movement against the creation of a strong federal government. However, despite lacking support for the Bill of Rights, the Federalist papers were more fundamental to the ratification of the Constitution. These collection of essays established the benefits of a constitutional democracy and a more perfect union.
The last argument Madison makes in favor of a large republic is, in a small republic there will be a lower variety of interests and parties, so more frequently a majority will be found. The number of participants of that majority, will be lower, and considering they live in a more limited territory, it would be easier for them to agree and work together for the accomplishment of their ideas. While in a large republic the variety of interests will be greater so to make it harder to find a majority. Even if there is a majority it would be harder for them to
The main idea of this quote was that Tyranny could still exist in democracy.It is possible that democracy exist in because if you say that even if you divide the power elective or not it may mean the mean.If madison allows a person to elected to the House of Representatives to serve at the same time on the supreme court he would disagree because he would have both power and my cause tyranny. Another quote may by Madison is “the constant aim is to divide and arrange the several office in such a manner as that they may be a check on the other”. The main idea of that quote was that each branch should not be able to work independently of the other two branches.Each branch should have some oversight or a check on the other two branches.One way the legislature can check the power of the chief executive is the president . And the President can check the power of the supreme court is by nominating the judges to the supreme court. The framer gave each branch of government power over the opposite two branches of government by each branch this prevent anyone to become more powerful then the
Madison’s logic on factions was that they would work just as the checks and balances of the different braches of the government would work. He believed