Overview
Federalist No. 10, written by James Madison, discusses how a large republic and a representative government can control the dangers of faction and protect both public good and private rights.
The Problem of Faction
- Faction is a group of citizens united by a common passion or interest adverse to other citizens or the community.
- Factions cause instability, injustice, and confusion, threatening popular government.
- The most common cause of faction is the unequal distribution of property.
Causes and Cures of Faction
- There are two methods to deal with faction: remove its causes or control its effects.
- Removing causes would require destroying liberty or making everyone hold the same beliefs, both impractical or undesirable.
- Since causes cannot be removed, the focus must be on controlling effects.
Controlling the Effects of Faction
- If a faction is a minority, majority rule can outvote it.
- If a faction is a majority, it can oppress the minority and threaten public good and rights.
- The main goal is to protect public good and private rights while maintaining popular government.
Democracy vs. Republic
- A pure democracy allows majority factions to oppress minorities due to direct participation in government.
- A republic uses representation and covers a larger population and territory, making it harder for majority factions to unite and oppress.
Advantages of a Large Republic
- A republic refines public views through elected representatives less likely to sacrifice long-term good for temporary passion.
- A large republic offers a greater pool of candidates for office and makes it harder for unworthy individuals to gain power.
- More parties and interests in a large republic reduce the chance of majority oppression.
- The Union benefits from these advantages, making it a safeguard against faction.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Faction — a group of citizens with interests or passions contrary to the rights of others or the community's interests.
- Republic — a government where citizens elect representatives to govern on their behalf.
- Pure Democracy — a government where citizens administer government directly, not through representatives.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review Federalist No. 51 for further discussion on checks and balances.
- Consider examples of faction in current events for class discussion.