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Madison’s Federalist #10

This article examines James Madison's Federalist #10 and his proposed cures for factionalism, highlighting the importance of a large republic in mitigating the negative effects of factions. It also explores different views on political parties and the role of property distribution in shaping politics.

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Madison’s Federalist #10

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  1. Madison’s Federalist #10 Political and Economic Reality

  2. James Madison16 March 1751 – 28 June 1836

  3. Madison’s Federalist #10 – Cures For Faction – Essentially Reconciled the Actual Politics in the Colonies with an Ideal – Republican Government.

  4. HOW DO YOU CONTROL THE VIOLENCE OF FACTIONS? • Remove Causes • Destroy Liberty • 2. Make Everyone the Same

  5. B. Control the Effects (How do you Protect Minority • from the Majority?) • Faction is Minority (No Problem) • Faction is Majority • a. Pure Democracy (VERY BAD) • b. Small Republic • c. Large Republic -- • i) With large Republic more able people to be Representatives; • ii) Larger Constituencies Dampen Down Factions

  6. Problems With The Argument • Tension in Argument – He wanted Energetic Government – How was that going to happen and still guard against majority Tyranny? • 2. Why do you need Separation of Powers if a Large Republic takes care of the Problem?

  7. Conceptions of Party (Hofstadter, pp. 16-33): 1) Hamiltonian View (British) -- parties are evils and the only proper one is one which eliminates all parties; 2) Madisonian-- parties are the price one pays for liberty, they can be checked but not eliminated. View that of Hume. Jefferson & Adams had same view; 3) Burkean (Van Buren) -- parties inevitable & good--no important American thinker took this view at the time of the writing of #10.

  8. People hold Opinions with Passion-- "the former will be the objects to which the latter will attach themselves." In the extreme case of a mass movement: • "the facts on which the true believer bases hisconclusions must not be derived from his experience or observation but from holy writ ... it is startling to realize how much unbelief is necessary to make belief possible. What we know as blind faith is sustained by innumerable unbeliefs" (Eric Hoffer, The True Believer, 1951, p.79).

  9. Eric Hoffer25 July 1898 – 21 May 1983

  10. The various and unequal distributions of property (broadly defined) divides the citizenry into classes and these form the bases of politics. • The Founders (Jefferson, Washington, Monroe, Adams, • Madison, etc.) all believed this. Liberty meant • Freedom of Speech • Freedom of Association • Private Property Rights in Land • Government Protection of Private Property Rights in General • e. …and all the Rights Listed in the First 10 Amendments to the Constitution

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